Cosmic Love
by Joie Cullen
Summary: Edward and Bella are soul mates, but she's stolen away and lost halfway to Italy. Waking up after a fall she has no idea where she is, who these people are with southern accents, or who she is. Edward/Bella/Eric. *NOMINATED FOR MOST PROMISING CROSSOVER*
1. Intro

_**A/N: I own nothing in this story but the plot line and characters not created by Stephenie Meyer or Charlaine Harris. I do not own the song Cosmic Love by Florance + The Machine. **_

_**I hope to have more of this ASAP, but I want to finish Wait For Me first. But, then again, when do I ever just do only one? If you're a fan of my other stories I swear to all that's holy they will be finished as well, but this has been an idea for a LONG time and I seriously can not keep it down any longer. I hope you enjoy! **_

_**And because it's a new one, the others come first, so it may take longer to post this, but if I do it will be in groups of chapters because I'm insane like that. So, you won't be waiting too long.**_

_**This story is Mature for language, violence, sexual themes and the posibility of lemons. I'm kind of a lemon zest kind of girl, but this IS True Blood we're talking about here. O_o Anyway, I hope you enjoy! **_

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_**Florance + The Machine  
"Cosmic Love"**_

_A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes_  
_I screamed aloud, as it tore through them, and now it's left me blind_

_The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out_  
_You left me in the dark_  
_No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight_  
_In the shadow of your heart_

_And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat_  
_I tried to find the sound_  
_But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness,_  
_So darkness I became_

_The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out_  
_You left me in the dark_  
_No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight_  
_In the shadow of your heart_

_I took the stars from our eyes, and then I made a map_  
_And knew that somehow I could find my way back_  
_Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too_  
_So I stayed in the darkness with you_

_The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out_  
_You left me in the dark_  
_No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight_  
_In the shadow of your heart_

_The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out_  
_You left me in the dark_  
_No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight_  
_In the shadow of your heart_

A pure, true love cut short by a malicious overseer, Aro, who coveted certain vampires from the Cullen clan in Forks, Washington. The oh so human Bella caught in the middle. Stolen away as a currency to gain what Aro's always wanted. Unfortunately, the ones he's sent to collect her lose her on their way back to Vulterra, Italy. A near deadly fall lands her in a strange hospital, surrounded by strangers, even the one staring back at her in the mirror. Dreams of golden eyes in the darkness leave her feeling strange and half empty. Will she find anyone to help aid her in her search for who she is or will they only help her become a new Bella all together, letting her forgotten past disappear into the darkness like those golden eyes?


	2. End Of An Era or Finally, I Get Some

_A/N: Well, here it is. The first chapter. I told you, I NEEEEEEDED to post this story or I was going to die. Bella's a bit OC, but as you know, I can't stand Cannon Bella. She's just too passive, too push-over-ish. I hope you all love it as much as I do. Also, there's a lot of lemon zest in here, bordering on the whole lemon, not just the peel shavings. I know… For the first chapter, really? You ask? Yes, it's important for the rest of this story. Enjoy!_

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"Edward! This…this isn't real is it?" I asked him, shocked. I had been fighting him on getting engaged for weeks now and apparently, for my eighteenth birthday he figured he'd dupe me. On a beautiful gold chain was a diamond the size of Forks. OK, no, but I knew nothing about diamonds only that this one was huge in comparison to most, and it was in the shape of his heart. All sparkly and cold, just like him. I - for the record - did swoon a little at that thought.

"Love, you deserve even more than this. I wish you'd allow me the privilege of giving you things." He sighed.

"I do…" I replied. He raised an eyebrow and grinned at me, his beautiful golden eyes sparkling at me. That dazzling grin only my vampire boyfriend could give me. It was bad enough that he looked like a sculpture of Adonis, not to mention his intoxicating smell. I can't even describe it, it's like the most beautiful mixture of the most addicting things. And the way he touches me and kisses me nearly stops my heart. No, seriously, it does. He has to stop for fear of actually giving me a heart attack. He had so much power over me it was disgusting. And I didn't even really LIKE blondes…but then again, even his hair was supernaturally perfect. All coifed and honey almond blonde. Freaking God.

"With absolute protest. There has been nothing that I have given you that you haven't complained about. Can't you just be happy for once?" He asked, tilting his head and cupping my face in his hand. I nuzzled into it and breathed him in.

"OK. This is beautiful, Edward, thank you. I love you." I gave him a re-do and he seemed pleased. He wrapped me up in his arms and kissed my nose. Then his grin turned mischievous as he carried me upstairs to his bedroom. "What are you up to?" I asked. I could only hope he was going to finally give me what I had been asking for. That he was going to try. We had been practicing for a while now and all I wanted was to make love to the man of my dreams. He said he would once we were married and I was changed (the changing part took even longer to convince him of) and I wasn't pleased. As far as I knew I wasn't going to be Bella-Bella when I was a vampire for at least the first year. I was going to be kill-everything-in-sight-Bella. It was always the same argument, that he was terrified of hurting or killing me. This only turned me on more which irritated him and caused him to tell me, yet again, that I was in danger and that I should have some type of fear, that it was unnatural to not be afraid.

It wasn't that I wasn't afraid per say. It was just that… Well, honestly, if I was going to die I'd rather it be after the most amazing orgasm of my life. Wouldn't that be anyone's choice of a way to go? My last visual would be him on top of me, gloriously naked and strong. The last feeling would be of him inside of me, rock solid, and me melting away around him. Nope, can't think of any other way to die. That would be just perfect. AND if he did hurt me that bad he could just bite me and start the change, which was inevitable anyway at this point. So, I honestly didn't see any harm in this at all.

All train of thought stopped, the conductors jumped ship and took off for the hills when Edward sat me down on the edge of the massive black iron bed (with sexy gold bedding), turned and locked the door. My heart left it's place in my chest and lodged itself in my throat making it incredibly hard to breathe. He took notice. "Bella…" He said my name gruffly, a near growl in his throat. I could barely sit up straight.

We'd played this game before. We'd start kissing, then we'd end up making out on the couch or my bed or this bed and it would move to slight touches. His hand slipping under my shirt or running up my thigh. We had gone as far as only being separated by my panties and bra and his boxer briefs. Dear God did he look good in boxer briefs…

He'd always stop, though. I'd be so close to feeling that elusive explosion of passion that it would make me more and more frustrated every single time.

I am a virgin, I've never been touched - like that - before, ever. Edward was my first in many ways, but I was a female and I did have urges and I knew it was supposed to feel brain seepingly good and it did… It just never pushed me over that edge. That teetering feeling was horrible.

I'd been over the edge before. The edge of a cliff. And the result was NOT like what I have longed for with Edward since we first touched. That was an I'm-gonna-die-in-a-not-pleasant-way feeling. This, this between us was an I'm-gonna-die-in-an-epic-way feeling and I needed it. Needed it like oxygen.

So why was I so nervous now? "Edward…" I eyed him warily. Perhaps the nervousness was my worry that we'd once again start something he wasn't willing to finish and I wasn't sure if I was going to survive that much longer. I was getting more and more emotional about it lately. I knew in my heart it wasn't because he didn't want me. My head only screamed that. Hence why it was so easy for him to leave me in the woods. WHY am I going back to that while my boyfriend slash more than likely fiancé was standing here looking ready to pounce? I blinked the memories away and stared at him again. "What are you doing?"

"Be still." He breathed as his hands came up and started unbuttoning the pretty blue blouse I was wearing. I knew it was his favorite color on me so I basically bought stock in this color. Not literally, figuratively…or whatever. My eyes nearly launched out of my skull when I realized that I might be getting more than this house sized diamond for my birthday. Could I ever be so lucky? _PLEASE JESUS?_ I mentally glared up at what I thought Jesus would look like (he had been rough with me the last few years) and then got a bit yucked out thinking about thinking about Jesus while my "soulless" vampire boyfriend slash might as well be fiancé was undressing me. And then it seemed kind of interest…no! _No, bad Bella. You need church_, I chastised myself.

He was pushing the now open shirt off my shoulders and I could feel myself becoming incredibly aware and excited that this was moving along at a nice pace. I reached out to start on his buttons and he shuddered under my touch. I loved knowing that he reacted this way to me, it was powerful. My hands, much shakier than his, released each button and then pushed back his shirt to match me. His mouth met mine and our lips and tongues danced to their own rhythm, his scent and taste making me high. "Bella…" He sighed again. The sound mixed with what was happening in this second made my eyes roll back in my head.

"Edward," I breathed against his mouth. I wanted to beg him, plead with him, but I knew if I took over he'd shrink back and stop so I let him go.

"I need you, I can't wait any longer. You don't know how it's tortured me." He nearly cried out as he pulled me up and wrapped my legs around his waist. He was definitely telling the truth, I could feel it, and I violently choked back the cliché 'is that a gun in your pocket, or are you happy to see me' because I was positive they didn't make guns this thick. Perhaps cannons. What?

"Please, Edward!" The begging started. I couldn't help it. But it was better than talking about cannons. He set me down gently on the bed and removed my jeans. Here we were again, with just the thin barriers between us and I was nearly holding my breath wondering if he was going to stop.

But he didn't.

His eyes hungry, he removed the rest of my barriers with his teeth. I nearly died just then. His eyes flashed to mine in concern. I must have literally almost died just then. Eh, that's fine. What a way to go, right?

And then he was naked in front of me. I'd felt him, I'd seen…him…before, but not like this. Not in all of his glory. He was so pretty it almost hurt to look at him and my heart was pushed back down into my chest by the huge bundle of nerves and emotions that replaced it, choking off my airway. I could just cry he was so perfect.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked, his face concerned. I stretched my hand out to him and he took it, kneeling next to me on the bed and I sat up to press my face to his chest.

"You're just so perfect." I sniffled. I heard a rumble in his chest and he kissed my hair and lifted my face to meet his.

"Ah, I understand - though you're out of your mind - if I had the ability a tear would fall for your beauty in this moment. I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life." He sighed and crashed his lips to mine again. He explored me and I explored him. His rock solid body felt like velvet under my fingers and I tried desperately to memorize everything.

He settled between my thighs and I could feel the tension building between us, the suspense of the moment. Couple that with need and feral want and he probably wouldn't even have to touch me in a second. But he did. His cool hand slipped down my stomach and to my hip. Hesitantly, he cruelly inched his way slowly further down and when his fingertips found my center I thought I was going to launch myself off of the bed. It was bad enough I nearly screamed, but turned it around and gasped so hard I thought I blew up a lung. His eyes sparkled and the corner of his mouth twitched as he continued to play me like a piano.

I could feel myself building up. My body tensing, my eye sight flickering, as I tried to concentrate on his face, but then he put that in place of his fingers and I clutched the sheets on the bed as I moved involuntarily with his tongue. As the tension in my body grew and grew I thought my head was going to explode, I was trying so hard not to start screaming because I wasn't entirely sure his family wasn't in a 100 mile radius.

His tongue flicked one last time and I couldn't hold it in. I let out the breath I was holding and it sounded like someone else. The moan slash cry was for all the times he had gotten me so close to this, this euphoria, and pulled me back from the edge. He finally gave me what I'd been needing and begging for and I wasn't bleeding or bruised.

Slowly, and with tiny wet kisses, he moved up my body to kiss me. I could barely see straight and he smiled at me, that huge dazzling smile. He was proud of himself. Well so was I. At this second I was so freaking happy I could have given him a round of applause. "Edward…" I tried to catch my breath.

"Happy Birthday, Bella." He grinned and kissed my nose.

"It's still my birthday, and would it be too much to…" He shut me up with his mouth as he shifted himself back between my thighs and suddenly there was pressure. Just a little as he pressed himself against my sensitive skin and I bit my bottom lip. He was a freaking mind reader! Wait…no, he can't read mine, so this is exceptional, OK?

"I love you so much, Isabella Swan. I want this, of course, but I'm doing this… I'm trying this for you because I know you hurt when I stop us. I don't want you to ever think I don't love you, or love you less, ever." He whispered between sweet kisses and then suddenly, he was inside and I tensed around him, trying not to let out the shock of pain. I didn't want him to stop. "Are you alright?" I noticed he stopped breathing and I blushed.

"It hurts… But I think I'm OK now." I promised.

"You're bleeding." He hissed.

"Yeah, that's normal." I nodded. _I think_. "Please." His eyes met mine and he kissed me again, this one soaked with passion as he started moving again. My head pressed back in the pillow as I worked my brain so hard just to remember this feeling forever.

"Are you OK?" He asked again.

"Yes, please, keep…going." I gasped as his movement pulled me to the edge again. His eyes darkened as he trailed his mouth over my chest and a sharp pain - just a tiny one - shocked over my breast. I looked and a few beads of blood pooled out of what seemed like a paper cut. His eyes widened and he stopped. I clenched my legs around him and held him in place. "I am fine. I feel nothing but you and if you stop now I'll rip it off and keep it in a jar!" I have absolutely no idea where that came from, but I was almost there. No tiny drop of blood was going to stop this.

Out of nowhere he growled at me and licked the blood and that sight alone was enough to die and I fell over the edge and crashed just as he did, filling me with himself as he licked the tiny cut and kissed it all better.

"OH MY FREAKING GOD!" Alice came tearing into the room, ripping the door from the wall, as it _was_ locked, and we threw the covers over us. "Oh…OH! I'm…" She covered her face. "I thought you two would be done by…"

"What is it?" Edward growled at her. I was ready for more.

"The Volturi, they're here." She winced. "They'll be here soon."

"For what?" I bit my bottom lip.

"For you." She cried and I looked up at Edward and he stared down at me absolutely terrified. I turned back to Alice and glared at her.

"You know, I appreciate your concern, but… LEAVE!" I screamed like a crazy woman. Her eyes got wide and she picked up the door and tried to place it back on or around the doorway so we had some privacy and left. I turned back to Edward. "See? You should have changed me already."

"Bella, let's not. I know they'll be upset, but Alice has seen it. They wouldn't." He was stuttering, this made me very uncomfortable.

"You know, this is another one of those I'm-going-to-die moments and I don't like it. They'll kill me, Edward." I started sniffling. "But, at least I had you."

His arms were around me, a little too tight, and he kissed my hair. "You're not going to die." He growled, angry at something, probably himself if I knew him like I thought I did.

"We should get dressed. I'd rather die clothed." I said numbly and got out of bed. My perfect night was stained again, just like his pretty sheets now, and I was really getting tired of this always happening to me. I put my clothes back on and pulled my fingers through my hair. Edward did the same but never took his eyes off of me. Probably memorizing me like I had been doing him. I stopped. Why were we fighting? Especially if this was my last night on earth with him. I ran to him and he caught me as I launched myself into his arms. "I'm sorry!"

"For what?" He asked me. I was sobbing now, ruining his shirt now, too.

"For being mad. I don't ever want to be mad at you, I love you. Do you get that? I love you more than my own life. I'll take whatever they dish me, just promise you stay safe for me?" I was muffled by his shoulder and I heard him breathe in shaky and broken.

"You should have never loved me, Bella. You should have never…" I cut him off with my mouth and I thought his knees were going to give out with the fierceness of my kiss.

"Shut up, just shut up." I cried. Edward went ridged and I looked into his eyes, they were somewhere else and I knew he was hearing someone. "What?"

"They're here." He choked.

"Well… Let's just go then." I steeled myself and he set me down, grabbed my hand, and we walked down the stairs together, prepared for whatever Fate held for us.


	3. Marco AND Polo? Seriously?

_A/N: I hope you're enjoying so far. I sure am. It's late. I need a smoke, a shower, and some bed. Two chapters in a day, pretty impressive. Told you I really needed to write this. Hope to do more tomorrow. Thanks for reading everyone! And make sure you let me know what you think. Makes me wanna write more. Also, I love to respond to comments. It's nice. :)_

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_As we walked down the stairs I could feel my shoulders tighten. So I was ready to go anywhere for Edward, but at this moment, when it was looking like it could be going to the Other Side I wasn't sure I was so ready for that. I mean, I'm only eighteen. I haven't even lived my life. I had only just gotten laid. Seriously, just gotten. It's only been like five minutes.

Of course it was absolutely amazing, better than I could have ever imagined. I swear, even in my super spicy dreams I couldn't have ever come up with the feelings I had while he was inside of me. It was like I had been missing something and suddenly I was completely whole again.

For a short time.

I wanted to run.

"Ah, Edward, it's been a spell." My eyes flashed to that scary paper thin skinned Aro. I hated his voice, I hated his face, he made my skin crawl. Where Edward was a beautiful, safe, intoxicating presence Aro's was terrifying. I think it would have made me worry had I honestly not been afraid of this guy, too. Then Edward would have been right and I would have totally been insane. "And Bella, correct?"

"Aro, what can we do for you?" Edward asked, wrapping his arm around me protectively.

"I was checking to see if our wonderful young human was one of us yet. This was the trade, was it not?" Aro asked, tilting his head like a dog. A vicious, rabid beast of a dog.

"You saw it, Aro. There is no need to rush things." Alice's sweet voice spoke up.

"Well, honestly, I am entirely too entertained to wait much longer. I want to see what this little girl can possibly do. You know, with her ability to ward off my precious Jane." He smiled. His paper skin wrinkled and I swore I heard a crinkling sound coming from his cheeks.

"But, we discussed this and it was allowed." Edward sounded a bit flustered which only scared me more. I TOLD him I wanted to be changed right away. It was only safe and smart to do it that way, but no. He wasn't ready. Well, was he ready now? Was he going to take a chunk out of my neck right here in front of Aro to keep me safe?

Probably not.

"Marco, Polo, your assistance is needed." Aro called just a little over his inside voice. Scared or not, I raised an eyebrow. _Seriously? _In walked two completely different vampires. One was almost seven feet tall and two hundred and fifty pounds with black hair. The other was my hieght, lanky with red hair. I learned quickly not to judge by body with vampires. They could be deadly in ways no one could possibly see.

"Marco, collect Edward." Aro grinned. I screamed. "Hush, now, Bella. It will all be fine in the end."

"No! Don't touch him!" I was hysterical. He could feel pain, I couldn't. After seeing him writhe on the ground under Jane's stare I broke a little.

"I'll be fine, Bella." His lips brushed my ear and I broke. I fell to my knees my head in my hands. "Don't touch her!" Edward growled, nearly shaking the house. That's when I looked up to see Polo reaching for me. I shrieked and backed away from him.

"No. No!" I screamed and Alice grabbed me up.

"Aro, no! We've talked about this. It's been explained, it's been shown to you, please!" Alice called.

"This isn't the only reason I'm here for her. Did you think I would waist my time coming all the way here from beautiful Italy to see just if Bella's been changed? I don't really care. I know she will be, I've seen it, as Alice has said. I am taking her because I want you two to understand how serious I am about having you two in my coven." Aro explained. My heart fell to my feet. Alice and Edward looked at each other and then back at me. Alice was suffering, but Edward was dying.

"Fine. OK, Take me. But let them be." I stepped away from Alice and looked right at Aro.

"Bella, you don't know what you're saying. It's fine, if you go, I go." Edward nodded in my direction.

"And break up your family. Kill Carlisle and Esme? Rosalie probably could care less, but everyone else loves you so much. I'm nothing..." He hissed at me and I pressed my lips together successfully shutting myself up.

"You are everything, Bella." He cried. I couldn't really hold it in any longer. Just thinking of us being a part broke me into tiny little pieces. I felt that familiar huge, ragged hole rip open in my stomach and I fell back down onto the floor. I had absolutely no control over my body. "Aro, please."

"Polo, get on with it. Marco will meet you in the car." Aro flitted his wrist and it was done. I couldn't fight off a vampire, that would be stupid. I just laid there on the ground, complete dead weight.

"BELLA! NO!" Edward fought against Marco, but he was too big and just too strong. I stared at him, not wanting to see anything but him before I couldn't anymore. I memorized every feature on his face, no matter how pained. I would never forget him, never. And when I could I'd come back for him.

"Edward, I love you!" I screamed. "I fucking love you!"

"I love you, too, Bella. More than my own life." He mimicked my own words I've said to him time and time again.

"Bella?" Alice called.

"I'll be OK, don't worry about me!" I tried to smile at my beautiful "sister".

"I love you, Bella! We'll figure something out, I can see it!" She called as I was pulled out of the door. I knew she was lying, for once I bet against Alice.

"The gasoline, Polo." Aro called in a sing songy voice when I was literally thrown into the Lincoln town car. I couldn't understand that. Were they out of gas? And then I smelled it. He poured a line between the house and the car. Marco came running out and sparked one of those weird lighter thingies you see in movies and the lawn blew up in flames. I saw flickers of Edward's and Alice's face while the two of them sped me away from them. That was it, just a flicker of Edward's honey eyes staring at the car, not even making eye contact with me. I was crushed.

I laid across the back seat and allowed myself to succumb to what I was expecting and knew I would feel. The tearing and the ripping and what I used to not recognize as me. The haunted screaming and crying I wouldn't accept as my heart break I now was good friends with. It rocked through me and I let it eat me alive.

"Where are we?" Marco asked looking around. It was daytime, about noon. We had obviously been driving all night since they didn't need sleep. The windows were tinted beyond what was legally accepted so that they wouldn't give themselves away. I wished to be pulled over.

"I uh, I'm not sure..." Polo cleared his throat. "We've got to be close to Florida, yeah? That's where we're flying out of, right?" He sounded so confused. Who the hell was I with? Who had to fly specifically out of Florida? And seriously, did that make sense?

"We'll stop for gas and then head out." Marco sighed. He turned to look at me. I swore he looked like he wanted to poke me with a stick. I didn't blame him. If they weren't vampires they'd probably think I was dead. "You, human?"

"Bella." I corrected, I sounded like a frog.

"Yes, you," He nodded. I sighed. "Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"No." I lied. Or did I? The pain was so severe I couldn't tell if it was hunger or loss. "Yes."

"Well, what the hell is it?" Polo turned around, glaring at me. "You know, we should just kill her. This whole thing is stupid, they're not coming for her. They're not going to join him. If they were they would have by now."

"Do what you want. I don't care. If you're not going to kill me at least shut up and get me something to eat so we can carry on to my doom." I sighed again. "I also have to pee."

"Fine. Go into the store, and then pump our gas and get back in this car. They can't see us. And if you try anything stupid we'll kill ya." Polo grinned at me and I didn't even flinch. I didn't care, go a head and kill me. I didn't have my soul and my heart was still without Edward.

I got out of the car, the sunlight blinding me. Had I wanted to run at this moment I wouldn't have a direction. I couldn't see clearly and would have ran into something. I couldn't even walk safely when I could see.

I finally cleared my vision and headed into the store and went to the coolers. I grabbed an iced tea and then headed up the snack aisle. There, I found a couple granola bars and held those in my other hand. I headed up to the counter and waited for the guy to stop talking in a foreign language on the phone and ring me up.

He looked down at me and smiled warmly and ended his conversation quickly. "Alo, how meh I elp you, dear?" He asked. It was a normal question, I'd heard it a thousand times but this time, this time I had something I needed, badly. I stared at him, not knowing what to say, or how to say it, so I grabbed my things and ran out the door and just kept running.

I knew the store owner probably called the police, and I was waiting for the vampires to come after me even in broad daylight, but no one was following, but I didn't stop running. I had no idea where I was, but I didn't care.

I had no phone, no identification, no money, but I was away from them and that's all that mattered. I ran across the back lawn and into the woodline. I wasn't thrilled, bringing back memories, but this was ten times worse than Edward leaving me. This was life or death and I truly did want to live. Really.

I ran and ran, my lungs burning from the strain and my legs were cramping up as I climbed up hill. I needed to find a place to hid, perhaps at the top of the hill I could see someplace.

But once I got to the top of the hill I tried to skid to a stop. The top of this hill meant about a fifty foot drop, but the speed I was running and the dampness of the hot, steamy weather made the ground slippery and before I could scream I was over the edge and plummetting to the earth.

Once again, not the kind of edge I wanted to come crashing over. This was definitely an I'm-gonna-die-in-a-terrible-way moment. And I was. "I love you, Edward." I breathed just before everything went black.


	4. Over The Cliff And Through Bon Temps

_A/N: I am soooo sorry for how long this took and how short the last chapter was. The second chapter was short because FF decided to eat about a thousand words or so of it and when I tried to fix it the thing got all saedo on me. Also, I had been going back and forth with even having and EPOV in the beginning of this. I decided it wasn't necessary - we all know they're looking - and it will make the story more confusing and just be too much of too much right now. What do you think? Good choice in adding an EPOV at a later date? ***THANKS TO CULLENS DARLIN I HAVE REALIZED HOW CONFUSING THAT MAY SEEM. EDWARD'S POINT OF VIEW WOULD BE THE ONE I AM SPEAKING OF. THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP!***_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter. After all, it took several days to perfect on my own and decide how I wanted it to go. Thanks for your patients, comments, and adds!_

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I really wasn't sure how long I had been laying there. I tried not to move, it hurt to breathe, it hurt to think, it hurt to do anything. I wondered what happened to me, what got me here, where I was and who… _Holy crow! Who am I?_

I opened my eyes to try and see, but everything seemed hazed in red, like I was under some sort of cover. Then I realized it was blood. I started getting nauseous, light headed, and ready to scream. This had to be my blood, but why was I bleeding, and why did I feel like I had been run over by a bus? Had I been run over by a bus? It was a possibility, I had absolutely no idea about anything else. And then I froze

"What is this I hear? And the smell is delicious." A slightly accented male voice came from the distance.

"Mmm, smells nearly innocent, yes?" A female.

"Perhaps we have found an easy meal?" The male replied.

Excuse me? An easy… My blood. Were they after my blood? I could smell me now. At first I thought it was something else, something I had landed in, but the overwhelming copper penny smell was actually me. It was a warm, metallic, disgusting smell and I could taste it in my mouth and the back of my throat. I thought I was going to throw up.

"This is a small place, it has to be a local, you know we can not do that." She said.

Could I have been a local? Maybe they knew my name?

"Look! The poor thing looks like a bloody rag doll. How is it she's still alive?" He sounded a bit concerned. He walked over to me, all eight feet and seven hundred pounds of him. OK, fine, six and a half feet tall is more like it. He was built huge, muscles on muscles it seemed. He and the blonde walked up to me slowly, the man had a small smile on his face, as if he were trying to sooth my worry.

Before I knew what he was doing he had me cradled in his arms. My body screamed in pain. There was pain places I didn't even know existed. I whimpered, that was all I could do. Any more and I would probably die. I felt incredibly weak and tired.

The woman hovered over us, she seemed a little less enthused with the whole situation. As it stood, I was in so much pain I willed her to kill me and be done with it. If he was a blonde, blue eyed sex pot, she was his twin. If I were gay…wait…was I? I took a long, hard look at her, realizing how amazingly beautiful she was, but just didn't have that extra itch from her, not like this guy. _Straight_, I decided.

"Eric, this is a thin rope we teeter on. We should take her to the hospital. If Sookie finds out we've killed an innocent human she'll never help you again." Huh, who was Sookie? And Eric is quite a nice name...

"I don't plan on harming her, Pam, I plan on saving her. She's too pretty to just let go." He winked at Pam and looked down at me. "You, girl, can you speak?" It was flattering, but then the whole - you girl - thing was a little disrespectful. I opened my mouth to speak, and I choked and gurgled on, what I assumed at this juncture, was blood. I winced, from the pain and from the awful feeling in my mouth and throat.

"You're near death. I need you to drink my blood." He coaxed. My eyes fluttered open and I locked eyes with him and sighed.

"You're kind of beautiful." I breathed. I had no idea where that came from. But, he was. Pam rolled her eyes and Eric grinned, fangs sticking slightly out of his gums.

Wait a minute…he has fangs? What the hell was he? OOOH! He was a vampire!

"Drink from me, beautiful." Eric glared at me and I choked. He extended his fangs and bit into his wrist. Strangely enough it was quite sexy. There was seriously something wrong with me.

"I don't want to be dead!" I groaned.

"This is what I'm trying to prevent, dear. Shush yourself and drink." Eric sighed.

"No, I mean, I don't want to be a vampire." I shook my head slightly.

"Oh, no, you won't be. This is going to make you all better, open wide." He spoke to me like a child and I slacked my lips and he pressed his open wound to mouth. At first it was kind of disgusting, but suddenly it was the most delicious tasting liquid I had ever had, even though it was quite thick. I grabbed a hold of him, trying to drink as much of it as I could and my eyes closed in ecstasy. I heard Eric moan and then he took his wrist away from me. "I know it's delicious, but you've had enough."

"I think we should take her to the hospital." Pam urged.

"While she heals faster than any human? I think not. We'll take her back to the bar." Eric snapped.

Pam raised an eyebrow.

"Call Sookie." He resolved. There we go with Sookie again, who was she? Was she a doctor or something? Clearly I'd need at least a band aid.

"Excuse me but, who are you?" I asked. I could tell that my voice alone had become much stronger.

"Eric, and this is Pam."

"And…one more thing." I nibbled her bottom lip. They looked at me expectantly. I knew I had to ask them, but it would sound rather dumb. I figured just go with it. I'm already in the arms of vampires, if they don't like me they'll just kill me anyway, so why not sound like a tard? "Who am I?"

"You don't know?" Pam finally spoke to me, not about me as if I wasn't crumpled up right there.

"No, actually. Do I have a wallet or something? Ugh, this is so embarrassing." Embarrassing wasn't the half of it. I didn't know who I was or where I was or where I was from. Was I from here? I supposed not, considering Pam had said something about a small town and that I may be local, but they didn't seem to recognize me.

Wait, was this one of those deep, out in the country, weirdo cult compounds? I didn't have long to find this out. Once Pam and Eric decided what they were going to do with me we were up and away. Eric mumbled something about staining the interior so we hoofed it. They ran really fast, but that did nothing for the pain. I thought I was going to die, but at the same time I could feel things healing and getting better. It was like I was in some alternate universe.

Hey, maybe that's what happened. I'm dreaming one of those really real ones and eventually I'll wake up knowing exactly who I am. Was that even possible?

My body ached, bad, and I was still being carried by a vampire. I had absolutely no idea where I was but it didn't really matter, did it? I didn't even know who the hell I was.

We were walking in the woods, which was odd, but they were vampires. And it was night, that of course I knew. The air was warm and sticky with humidity. I was sweating, I think, or it might have just been the blood.

We arrived at a sweet looking white farm house with a huge wide open yard. The covered porch was illuminated by the lamp near the door and as we stepped up the stairs they creaked. Eric shifted me in his arms so that he could knock on the door and we waited.

"Who is it?" A female's voice was muffled through the door, but you could hear her thick southern accent.

"Sookie, it is Eric and Pam. We have a surprise for you." He seemed really happy about it. _Wonder what it could be? OH! Jesus, I'm duh… Me. _I wasn't much of a surprise, of course I was to myself, I didn't even know who I was - _SURPRISE_!

"Eric, it's midnight. I have to work in the mornin'." She sighed as she opened the door. When she saw me her mouth dropped open and she glared at him. "Who is this? And why is she all bloodied up?"

"She fell from a cliff." Pam interjected. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, don't worry. It's true, I can tell by your damage and the area we found you in." She said it as if it were going to reassure me.

The thought that I fell from a cliff tugged at something deep down, but I assumed it was just the fact that it actually happened to me.

"What cliff?" Sookie now had her hands on her hips and she was tapping her foot. She had on a huge grey, ratty t-shirt on with kittens on it. Her blonde hair was tied up in a knot at the top of her head.

"The only cliff in Bon Temps, Sookie." Pam snorted and then shot a look at Eric. "Sometimes I don't get why we bother."

"Pam, calm down or I'm not replacing your shoes." He warned and she looked down and pouted. The wet ground must have ruined them.

"Why isn't she at the freaking hospital?" Sookie squeaked in utter frustration. "She could be dying. She probably _is_ dying!"

"No, she's far from that. She's healing perfectly fine at the moment. Better than fine, actually. Superb, really." Eric went on proudly. Sookie's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. She hissed at him and pinched her nose.

"You gave her your blood?" She seethed. "Do you even know who she is?"

"Of course I did, and no I do not. But, she doesn't know that information either, so we are safe." Eric seemed so proud of himself. I just wanted to lay down.

"Hospital, hostel, hotel in the red light district, a coffin, I don't care. I just need to lay down." I whimpered. "And perhaps wash." I added, this was also important as I looked over what I could have of myself. I was muddy, bloody, and sweaty. I was horrid.

"You don't even know your name?" Sookie asked me. She seemed honestly concerned, which was nice, but she was a little thick. That or she thought I was lying which sort of pissed me off.

"I'm just kidding. See, I throw myself off of cliffs all the time and then act as if I don't know who I am. It's my thing." I rolled my eyes, regretting it from the pain, and pouted my lip out. Eric laughed loud and hard, startling me.

"I like her. She's spunky!" He smiled. I pouted more.

"Bring her in here, she needs to be washed up and when most of her major injuries heal we're taking her to the hospital. People may be looking for her. I'll call up the sheriff and see if he's heard anything on a missing person." Sookie seemed sweet, really she did. "But those shoes come of or you're not coming in." She pointed at Pam's feet. I tried to look down, but just couldn't do it.

Eric stood there at the thresh hold and stared at Sookie expectantly. I was confused. "Um, you're huge, are you seriously afraid of entering her house? It doesn't sound like this is the first time you've met." I rambled.

"Is Bill here?" He asked, ignoring me. If he was afraid of someone named Bill he had to be huge, or ancient. Eric seemed to be big enough and strong enough to take care of himself.

"Bill is not here. And even if he was you'd still be invited in. Won't you please come into my home?" Sookie smiled. Where the hell was I? I sucked in - hard - from the pain of the movement. I hadn't realized that he was so still during this entire exchange. Eric stared expectantly at Sookie and she sighed, smiling pathetically at me.

"What shall I do with her?" Eric finally asked.

"Can she stand?" She replied with her own question. Eric shrugged, making me hurt again, and tried to set me down on my feet. I stood there for a good four or five seconds and then suddenly my legs gave out and I was about to meet the floor with my face. Eric was there to catch me, thought, God love him.

"No, she can not." He concluded correctly.

"No shit!" I whined. That hurt like a son of a bitch, now what?

"Take her upstairs to the spare bedroom bathroom and I'll start a bath." Sookie shook her head. The pity she had for me was insane. She didn't even know me and here she was treating me like an old friend. One who got hit by a bus… Well, no, one who fell off a cliff.

Eric did as she said and carried me up stairs. Sookie called down to Pam to make some chamomile tea and though Pam argued I could hear her rustling around in what must have been the kitchen. When Sookie was done filling the tub with what she said was a family cure - Epsom salt, lavender, and Mr. Bubble - she stared at Eric and me for a minute. "Do you feel comfortable with him undressing you or would you rather take a chance with me dropping you?"

"Whatever." I sighed. Eric decided to just hold me while Sookie literally peeled my jeans and blouse off. They were so covered in fluids - mine and the elements - that we decided to just toss them. Eric picked me up one last time, not even ashamed of staring at my boobs, and placed me in the tub. I gasped. They froze. "Heaven!" I exclaimed.

"Eric, go make sure Pam isn't destroying my house out of anger. I'm going to stay with her and help her wash." Sookie ordered these vampires around like they were nothing. I kind of loved her.

I tried to concentrate and not let the fact that the water was getting so filthy so fast, and just closed my eyes and let my head fall back.

"Honey, do you have any idea who you are or where you came from? I understand if you were too scared to talk around those two. They can be a little intimidating, but…" She smiled at something and looked back at me. "Pam is a good friend to have if you earn her trust and Eric… Eric is a horny, manipulative, ass. But, he is also a wonderful friend to have. I think you have Eric wrapped around your pretty little finger already. Don't worry about them."

"I honestly don't know. I don't even remember what happened to me. I can only remember pain and blood. There was nothing in my clothes, like an ID?" I asked. The full affect was starting to sink in, but I held it back. I'd wait to fall apart until I was alone.

"You poor thing, you know… Once you heal good enough we'll take you to the hospital and see if you might have some kind of record in the system. You know, now a days they have everyone in the computer. But, I need to call you somethin…" She tapped her bottom lip and then stared at me like she needed to poop. Suddenly my head felt foggy and heavy. "I can't catch anything."

I just raised an eyebrow still flipping from that Jedi mind thing.

"I can hear thoughts, some are strong enough that I can see. I was hoping there would be something deep in there where I could find your name." She pouted. Something about that tugged at me. For the second time in less than two hours I felt this weird déjà vu thing. "Is there something you like that I can call you?"

"Um, I don't know…" I stared blankly. It was so hard to think.

"Well, you are one tough cookie. Breanna means strong, we could try that one on for size. Or Brea? Let me know if you can think of something from your memories. Perhaps a good night sleep will help you." She smiled affectionately while she scrubbed me and washed my hair. I was sure I could do it myself, but I was just too tired. It felt like I had ran a marathon and then plunged off a cliff.

When my bath was over and I let the name she suggested sink in I smiled when she brought me a white t-shirt and black shorts. "I kind of like Brea." I blushed. Sookie smiled and stayed while I dressed. She walked me into the bedroom I hadn't had time to really look at and I smiled. "How pretty!"

"This was my room, but I use it as a spare now. Since Gran passed I've been using her room. Make yourself at home, Brea. Also, there's a little hidey-hole under the floor in the closet for wayward vampire friends. It's not occupied tonight, so don't worry."

I looked at her strange and then tried to understand. "You didn't need to tell me that, you know." I grimaced.

"Right, sorry. Get some sleep, I'll have breakfast in the morning. I work at noon, if you're still asleep check the oven and your food will be in there. Make yourself at home, sweetie." And she exited the room.

I took one more look around and smiled. This place was so warm, I could learn to really like it here. I tucked myself into bed and flicked the switch on the bedside lamp. The room went dark and I quickly fell asleep.


	5. You Look As Stupid As I feel

_A/N: I had too much fun with this chapter. TOO MUCH. Hope you enjoy. Thanks again for all the love! I own nothing._

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I was in the dark, I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face, but suddenly there was a flicker of light almost like a flame and inside of this flickering flame was a pair of golden, haunted eyes. They were beautiful, but they weren't looking at me, they seemed to see something beyond me and suddenly I felt like I couldn't breathe, like I was drowning. My eyes flew open as I gasped and I didn't know where I was at first.

I sat up in bed, still sore, but feeling better than the night before and I finally recognized the room. The sun was already streaming from the windows when I looked at the bedside clock. It was eleven in the morning.

I heard rustling through out the house and I could smell breakfast and coffee, but I didn't want to get up yet. I didn't want anyone to ask me if I remembered anything, because I didn't. So, for now, I was still Brea. The name just didn't fit, but it was pretty and they had to call me something.

I laid back down on my side, curling myself up in a ball and just stared, trying to think. I begged myself to remember something, anything from before the accident. A knock on the door - just a soft one - broke my train of thought. "Are you awake, darlin?" Sookie's sweet little voice muffled through the door. I decided to not ignore her. Believe me, I seriously wanted to. I wanted to so bad it hurt, but she was just so freaking sweet.

"Yeah." I sighed. She cracked open the door and peeked in and clicked her tongue at me and was on the edge of my bed instantly.

"I'm so sorry I have to leave you today. But my cell phone number is on the fridge and if you get bored or just need something, don't fret to give me a call. I have a long day today. I could bring you by the bar, Sam shouldn't mind as long as you don't go for the alcohol, you don't look a day over eighteen." She smiled at me, I couldn't help but smiled back.

"Thanks, Sookie. I really appreciate it, and… I don't think I like alcohol." I grimaced.

"Oh, Lordy! I nearly forgot why I came up here. I took this off of you to clean, it looked very special. Need help putting this back on?" She dangled a huge heart diamond in my face on a beautiful gold chain. I gawked at it. "Someone must really love you somewhere. This gives me some hope we'll know who you are in no time."

"Oh my god! That's…that's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" I breathed and she helped put it on for me. "Um, I don't have anything…"

"There's clothes in all these drawers. You may be a bit smaller than me, so I'll request afternoons tomorrow so we can get you some of your own." She smiled.

"Oh I couldn't put you out like that!" I gasped.

"You're not. It's on Eric." She smirked, and I hoped she'd explain that look later, but she had to get going.

I laid there for a little while longer than decided to see if I could stand. Sookie must have assumed so since she left me here all by my lonesome. I gripped onto the mattress as I put my feet down, one at a time and though I was still sore around the joints I was standing and walking. I hoped there was some medicine for pain around somewhere.

I pulled on a pair of jeans that were just a bit loose and found a black tank top to put on. The jeans would cover my lower bruising, but everything on my arms, neck, chest, upper back and face would be all out there. I didn't care. There was a little jar of hair ties and I took one and put my hair up in a knot.

It was funny how some things were still there like knowing how to dress, speak, walk, tie my hair back… It just seemed like all the real important stuff was missing. Like, who loved me enough to give me such an expensive and meaningful gift? Were they looking for me? Did they think I left them? Did they think I was dead? How long had I been gone? The eyes from the dream haunted the vision in front of me, startling me at how much I longed for those eyes, but they didn't seem normal.

I shook my head and headed to the kitchen. I noticed the entire house was full of older furniture and what I may assume as antiques, but all of it was cared for and placed just right. I smiled at the warmth that this house gave me.

As I entered the kitchen I was pleasantly surprised again at how precious it was. It was exactly what I would have assumed an old farmhouse kitchen would look like. Beautiful white cabinets and counters, some cabinets had glass windows with a cross of white wood making it look like four little windows in each. I could easily see where the plates and glasses were, but that was unnecessary. A glass and a mug were on the stove where I could still smell breakfast. The oven was on 'warm' so I switched that off as I took out a large plate of eggs, bacon, and toast.

I walked over to the fridge for something to drink, the coffee didn't appeal to me. Before opening the door I noticed her note with her number on it, a tiny smiley face was drawn at the bottom with her name. There was also a daily calendar up telling me it was September 15th. It also had a 'word of the day' on it and I read that, too. "Ostentatious: Adjective; Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display." I giggled at the word and it's definition as if it reminded me of something, but when I tried to figure out why it made me react that way everything was blank. "How about a word meaning bullshit?" I muttered to myself as I grabbed the orange juice out and poured myself half a glass. I replaced it and decided to clean out the coffee pot before sitting down to my meal.

Normally, or for normal people, this wouldn't be such an adventure but for me it was. I really wasn't sure if I liked any of this stuff. I hadn't passed it up subconsciously like I did with the coffee, so I assumed that I must like it so I dug in. It was delicious and I ate it all, as if I had been absolutely starved. When I was finished I cleaned up after myself and decided to take a better look around, maybe go outside.

All the windows in the kitchen were open and a warm breeze filtered through, so I figured what I was wearing would be appropriate outside but I didn't make it out the door before I was nearly knocked down by a very cute blonde guy. What was it with all the blondes around here? Was this the _Village of the Damned_?

Obviously, he was just as surprised to see me as I was to see him bursting through the back door and he decided after a few uncomfortable seconds of staring to speak. "Uh…who are you?" He asked. I laughed, boy what a question.

"At the moment I'm Brea, and you?" I held my hand out for him to shake and he did. He was strong, his muscles were tangles and slim, but they still seemed incredibly strong. He was sculpted, that was for sure, all dressed in his Bon Temps Parish Football wife beater and wrinkled jeans. He looked too old for high school, but still young enough for a college boy and if was eighteen, well…

"At the moment?" He scoffed as he ran to the fridge and pulled out some cold chicken. I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you still didn't answer my question and now you're in Sookie's fridge, so if you don't start talking I'll call her and tell her some random dude is sleuthing out her food." I put my hands on my hips. Who was this guy?

He nearly choked on his mouthful of chicken and then grinned after he successfully lived through it. "I'm Jason Stackhouse, Sookie's big brother." He replied.

"Uh huh, does she know you come in here when she's not home and eat her food?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Does she know some weirdo chick is in her house?" He retorted. Was he serious?

"Um, obviously. What do you want?" I asked.

"You single?" He wagged his eyebrows at me.

"Seriously?" This guy was retarded, certified of course. I'm sure if I looked hard enough I'd find his medical records stating this as a fact. BUT, he was here and he had a truck - I saw it out the window when he tornadoed in a minute ago - so he could be useful at the moment. "You know where the Sheriff's office is?"

"Hey, you're all busted up! Who did that to you? One of those vamps? You a fangbanger?" He got all defensive and started talking a different language.

"I…it was an accident that I don't remember and I have no idea what the rest of that was." I replied.

"You don't hang with vamps and let them rough you up, do you?" He finally got back to some English.

"No…not that I know of. See, after my accident I don't know much of anything about myself, so… But I don't think so. That's not an appealing thought, anyway." I said.

"Cuz, well, you kind of look like one of them." He looked at me again. I sighed, dramatically this time.

"Do vampires get injured like this? And do vampires have a heart beat? Also, when was the last time you saw a vampire in the daylight?" I was wondering if this was worth his mobility. He seemed to finally grow a tiny brain and nodded.

"Yeah, I know where the Sheriff's office is, but uh. I don't, well I don't usually go there on my own accord." He ran his hand through his messy hair, triggering something deep, but I ignored it just like the other times.

"Oh, so a criminal is in the house? That's freaking great. I hate my life." I plopped back down on a chair and pouted. I wasn't really willing to get into a car with a criminal, even if he was Sookie's brother. She didn't mention him, so perhaps he was the black sheep and perhaps that was for a reason.

"Oh, not like that. Just stupid shit like drunk in public and fighting. Stuff like that. Stupid stuff." He explained and I just stared at him. This revelation didn't surprise me - at all - so I nodded.

"Yeah, let me call Sookie and see if she thinks it's a good idea first, K?" I asked and he nodded now drinking a huge glass of orange juice. I swear he needed a leash, perhaps a cage.

I got up and dialed the number left for me. It rang a few times and I explained the situation at hand and Sookie said I should wait, but that if I was bored the bar was slow and I could come by and hang out. That sounded much better than this so I told her I'd be there soon.

"You, Jason, can I get a lift to the bar?" I asked. He looked me up and down again and sniffed.

"You ain't twenty one." He pointed. I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they'd get stuck that way.

"I know, but Sookie said it was OK. I don't plan on drinking the place dry, dude." He appraised me again and then nodded. "Thanks."

We pretty much rode in silence, or at least I did. I got the 411 on his piece of crap truck he was so in love with. I ask you, who get's a black truck with hot pinkish-purple flames? WHO? This had to be one of the oldest trucks I had ever seen, and not only that, he tried to supe it up which only made it look even more awkward. I shuddered to think about him trying to pick up chicks with this truck. They either had to be desperate or drunk. Not that he wasn't good looking, but he was dumber than a box of hair.

Thank god it was only like a ten minute drive until we were at the bar - Merlotte's - so I could launch myself out of this crap heap and away from the dumbest man this side of the free world. Sookie was waiting for me outside and I could tell she was trying not to laugh as I ran up to her all awkward like. I wondered if I was just injured of if I always walked like a half eaten gazelle. I shrugged it off when I got to her side. "MY IQ!" I cried. She looked at me, her eyes sparkling as she hid her giggles with her fist.

"Thanks for bringing her, Jason. Go back to the house and lock up since I know you forgot." She pointed. His eyes got wide and his mouth seemed to form quite a bad word as he got back in his hoopty and headed back out. "How was your morning?"

"It was perfectly peaceful until Gomer Pile came plowing through the back door nearly killing me." I said over dramatically.

"He's a good kid, just a little…dense." She replied lovingly. It was funny, he said he was older - that I believed - but she treated him like he was the baby. But, it wasn't that surprising, Sookie seemed to be quite the selfless individual.

"He ate all your chicken and drank out of the orange juice." I pointed out. He needed to be tattled on, don't judge me.

"Yeah…" She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Come on in and meet some of my people." She smiled and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. We walked in the bar and I was amazed at how much I liked it. It seemed like a place you could go just to hang with friends with no worries that you were anywhere unfamiliar and unsafe.

An average height guy came out from the back, his auburn peppered hair a little all over the place, but he certainly could wear a pair of jeans. He smiled warmly at us, but gave a knowing look to Sookie before he put his hand out for me to shake it. "Hey, I'm Sam, I own the place." His handshake was firm and I knew to match it with my own strong shake. I don't know if it was because I wanted him to know I was sure of myself or what, but I did it.

"Nice to meet you, Sam." I felt myself blush. The water fed these men well around here, so far they were quite good looking, but I could tell Sam was probably about thirty by the pepper color in his hair, graying it slightly.

"Sook-Sook, who you got out there?" I heard someone call from the kitchen and before I could blink out came this beautiful black…man? He was wearing a pleated, bedazzled, knee length jean skirt with some African goddess looking bedazzled, skin tight sleeveless top. On his head was a luxurious and long (also bedazzled) scarf. His make up was spectacular. To round it all off - combat boots. I was instantly in love in a platonic kind of way. I was positive he played for our team, if you know what I mean.

"Lafayette! Don't scare the poor girl!" But she was laughing. I couldn't stop staring at this amazing creation before me, there was just so much there to look at. "She's already had to be alone with my brother."

"Oh, child… You keep away from that man, ya her me?" He eyed me like a mom would, you know, that evil eye that puts you in line quicker than lightening.

"Trust me, that guy has no chance. No offense Sookie, but he's…" I trailed off biting my bottom lip. Could I insult her blood without really knowing her?

"Stupid. He is S-t-o-o-p-i-d, that boy is beyond your average spelling, girl. He might be something to look at but he's a bag full of problems." He went on sashaying in his place. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I needed this guy on speed dial for when I was down. "So, Sook, this the girl who can't remember who she is?" He tended to use his 's' like a 'z', I liked it. A lot.

Things were going there? I was just having fun! "Yes, are we still on for tonight?" She asked, hopeful.

"What's going on tonight?" I asked looking between them.

"You're coming to my place to get it on with my pharmaceuticals so that Sookie and her beau can do mind tricks on you. Don't worry, everything's natural…at least it was. And I know what I'm prescribing you so you'll be just fine." Lafayette explained. Sookie sighed, annoyed.

"UM, yeah, that's going to be a no." I shook her arm off of me and glared at her. "You're going to poison me?"

"Sedate, baby doll. Different thing, entirely. Trust us, you'll enjoy yourself." He went on.

"Will it make you more comfortable if Eric is there?" She asked. It would, yes. Wait, what? But, he was the first thing I saw when I really opened my eyes after the whole… Maybe I was just being like a baby bird or something, you know, 'Mama!' and stuff.

"Hell Nah, that…" He sucked in like he was savoring something and rolled his eyes in the back of his head and then went on. "That's too much in my house. I've got a business to think about. What if Tara finds out? Have you talked to her about your new pet?"

"Um…"

"Hush." He put his hand in my face only to pull it closed showing me what he meant. I just glared at his pretty hand. "Fine. But if he tries anything funny…"

"Just banish him from your house." Sookie smiled that huge smile she had. I was doomed. This sounded like some kind of crazy voodoo, hoodoo, witchery and I wasn't interested. At. All. Too bad I didn't seem to have a say in anything. That tugged at something and that familiar déjà vu crap came back. _Eh, what could it hurt? If I died it wouldn't really matter, would it_, I wondered as I fingered the heart stone on my necklace.


	6. I Love That Hoodoo That You do!

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long on this. I was really stuck as to what I wanted to do in this chapter, and I hope you like it. Until next time lovelies! *And it won't be so long, either!*_

_Also, FYI, EPOV is Edward, that will be obvious. When I'm writing for Eric it will say ENPOV. Thanks!_

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**EPOV**

"Alice, we have to tell Charlie. It's been too long. It's been 24 hours and she's gone. I've thought of a hundred excuses, but we've put him through entirely too much as it is. What with Arizona, Italy, now this?" I slunk down into the chair in the living room facing the door. We had waited there hoping it was just some sort of joke. That Bella would walk back through that door any time now, but we knew that was a lie.

"And what do we tell him, Edward? A group of powerful vampires took her because we refused them? Or that someone kidnapped her right from under our noses and that she's probably dead? Until we find a way to get her back that's the most likely choice, telling him his daughter is dead." Alice sobbed as she paced the room. "God, I can't see her!"

"It could be Alec at this point. Plus, she is quite far away." I offered hope where there really was none.

"Do you think she'd fight them? Try to get away?" Alice's voice was shrinking and I was barely holding on. Our family would be home soon from Alaska and there would be more questions.

"Can you see the ones who took her?" I begged. Alice sighed and then pushed out, I could see it, and then there they were but they were alone.

_"How could you lose her?" Polo snapped._

_"You were the one who insisted she go into that damn gas station. In broad daylight." Marco rolled his eyes. "What are we going to tell Aro, huh? That his human bait is gone and we can't find her?" Suddenly a memory popped into his head of them turning on Bella in the back seat. Her eyes were bloodshot and her throat was dry. They sent her off into the store and suddenly they were watching her dark out of the gas station, through the parking lot, and into the woods. She looked so scared and alone._

_"I suggested we drive in her direction and follow her in the shadows. You were too scared." Polo yelled._

_"Because the sun was blazing and we sparkle and we can't be detected. You know that." Marco argued._

_"So, the risk was worth this? The risk was worth us going to Aro and telling him we lost the girl?" Polo hissed_.

"They lost her?" Alice squeaked. "Where were they that they lost her? Maybe we can go get her before anyone knows better."

"They were in the south, at least that's what the trees told me. I'm not sure where, and I think we need to tell Charlie anyway. If he puts out an APB on her and says she's the Chief's daughter, cops everywhere will be looking for her." I said, my head in my hands. "She was so scared."

"She has no survival skills, does she? Like, how to build a fire or find shelter? Depending on the temperature she would be hard pressed to survive the nights." Alice pointed out and I growled at her. "I'm sorry, but it's true."

"Edward? Alice?" Carlisle's voice stopped our bickering and I looked up to see him looking worried. Behind him trotted in the rest of the family and they all stood around the room waiting for us to say something. Alice saw it before she left Alaska but came alone. They were aware of the Volturi coming, but we hadn't any time to fill them in further. Jasper flew to his wife's side and pulled her into a tight hug and Esme bit her bottom lip while she clutched Carlisle's arm. Emmett and Rosalie stood there by the door unmoving.

"Bella's gone." I whispered so quietly had they not been vampires they wouldn't have heard me. Esme stifled a sob and Alice buried her head in Jasper's chest. Emmett shook his head numbly and Rosalie just stared. "They came and took her."

"What does Charlie know?" Carlisle asked.

"Nothing, yet." I replied.

"Alice?" He looked at her with hope and she cried.

"All I know is they lost her somewhere South. But I can't see her at all, I haven't been able to in almost twenty four hours." She sniffled and Rosalie growled.

"Good, now we have to tell the human his daughter is dead because of us. And he'll know what we are and we'll have to leave again. How could you, Edward?" I was in her face instantly.

"How dare you, Rosalie. I didn't just hand her over, I didn't give her away. We tried to protect her, something you never did. And we don't know if she's…dead. Alice just can't see her." I seethed.

"Well, the only time she can't be seen is when there's a dog problem. Or she's dead. Which is it?" She rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Rose. This is Bella we're talking about." Emmett begged.

"I know, and I don't really care. Had Edward left her alone she'd be fine and normal. Now she's missing, dead, or soon to be because he can't even change her when he was supposed to. You've never done anything right by her and now look at where we're at." Rosalie wasn't necessarily wrong at the moment, but I wasn't in the mood for the bitter pill of honesty.

"I'm going to talk to Charlie." I sighed. Alice flew to my side and grabbed my arm.

"You'll need me there, and so will he." She sniffled. I nodded.

"What are you two going to tell him?" Carlisle asked.

"I have absolutely no idea." I sighed.

**BPOV**

I spent the majority of the day at Merlotte's and when we were ready to leave we said good bye to Sam and headed out to the parking lot. Sookie had asked if I wanted to be introduced to some of the other girls, but after the fire engine red head came in and sneered at me I felt it better not to. Basically because I had found that with the loss of memory went my social filter. It was just after dark and I was getting a little scared. After all, the night before I was bloody and dying.

Lafayette said he'd see us at his house. We didn't get into Sookie's car, we just waited. I cleared my throat and kicked some dust around with my shoes. "We're waiting on Bill so he can follow us there. He's going to help." Sookie explained.

"My beautiful stranger!" The familiar, odd accent came from off to the right and out stepped Eric. He was wearing jeans that fit in all the right places, a white shirt and a black leather jacket over it. He looked absolutely delicious. Sookie snorted.

"What?" I asked, eyeing her. She just shook her head. I looked back to where Eric was and he was gone. Strong arms encircled me from behind and I jumped. "Shit!"

"I'm sorry, did I frighten you? I can't help myself, see now that you've had my blood I can feel you. I know exactly what you're feeling and I even know where you are. At all times." He whispered the last part as he trailed his lips over my ear. I shivered and leaned into him. I wasn't sure why, perhaps that had something to do with his blood, too, but I didn't care. I felt so safe in his arms. "There, see? All better."

"Stop trying to romance her, Eric. She probably has someone waiting for her." Sookie argued.

"Lover, do you have someone waiting for you back home?" He asked, spinning me in his arms and staring down into my eyes. His ice blue eyes sucked me in and I honestly didn't care. I knew that was wrong, but here I was unable to recall my name and here he was turning me on. And, he called me Lover!

"I don't know." I shook my head. "There might be." I toyed with the diamond on my necklace and he frowned.

"We will help you, but I can't help but be a bit jealous." He grinned. I couldn't help but blush.

"Eric." I heard a stern, Southern accent behind me and Eric had me tightly at his side in another instant.

"Bill." Eric replied. Bill was average height, he had short, dark brown hair and light eyes, and he had a very hard expression on his face, almost possessive, almost disapproving. My heart tugged again and I shook my head. _What the hell?_

"Who is this?" Bill asked, taking Sookie's hand and she frowned a little.

"Bill, I told you, this is Brea." Eric nudged me.

"You remember your name?" He smiled, I blushed again.

"Uh, not exactly, no. We came up with that one because I needed something to go by. I'm hoping to get at least my name back after tonight." I replied.

"And what is it that we're doing tonight?" He acted as if Bill and Sookie weren't even there which kind of bothered me. Not so much about Bill because he was sort of an asshole, but Sookie was the one here trying to fix me.

"Sookie and Lafayette are going to try and draw memories out. I'm scared and Sookie suggested you could be helpful by being there." I couldn't keep the stupid blush off of my face. I swear he could use his mind to pleasure me. That had to be it.

"Lafayette? He owes me something…" Eric grinned.

"How did Eric get involved in all of this, Sookie?" Bill asked, he still had that I-smelled-shit look on his face.

"He and Pam found her last night… The poor thing had fallen off a cliff face on the outskirts of the woods North of here. Eric gave her blood and brought her to my house. The poor thing can't remember anything." She explained. I was getting incredibly self conscious standing there between them and being talked about as if I wasn't even there. I went to tuck some loose hair behind my hear when Bill was in my face and my arm gripped tightly in his hand.

Eric growled and I gasped. "Hey! That hurts!" I cried. Sookie tried to ease Bill down and I started to shake. "What are you doing?" I tried to pry my arm away and he just kept staring at it. I followed his gaze to my wrist and shuddered.

"Who did this to you?" Bill's voice was low and guttural.

"I don't know!" I snapped. "Give me my arm back!" He released his grip and I studied the crescent scars on my wrist. They seemed almost metallic or something and when I ran my hand over them they were incredibly soft, but cool to the touch.

"Brea, did someone bite you?" Sookie asked walking me away from the two over bearing vampires. I started crying hysterically. Mainly because I didn't know what brought this emotion on and also because clearly someone had bitten me. The scars were perfect teeth marks.

"Why can't I remember?" I sobbed and Sookie wrapped me up in her arms. "I try! I think and I concentrate, I've even tried to meditate while I was hanging out back here earlier… Everything is just black holes of nothing!"

"Have you felt any kind of déjà vu or something? About anything, even if you think it's stupid. It could help me pin point things." She urged.

I sniffed and nodded. Um, there's a few things." I whispered and looked down at my hands that were now tangled together. "Uh, sometimes when something is said or done I get this pull in my stomach, like knots."

"OK, that could be helpful. Do you remember any of those instances?" She coaxed. I nodded again.

"The idea of falling from that cliff, like it wasn't my first time or something. Also, the fact that you can read minds. That made me feel it. The necklace feels natural, like it belongs, but something is off… Like I reacted wrong. I don't know. And this morning, when I read your word of the day I giggled like there was some kind of inside joke that I couldn't fucking remember! It's literally starting to drive me nuts. And then last night I had this dream… It was all black and then there was this flickering flame of light and all I could see was this pair of honey colored eyes. They weren't really looking at me, but I can't stop thinking about them. They made me feel whole for a second, but then I woke up." I shook my head, I sounded effing insane!

"Let's just get you to Lafayette's and see if we can get anything going. We'll worry about all this other stuff later when it's just you and me. OK?" Sookie rubbed my back and I sniffled and nodded.

"I just want to remember." I cried. Sookie nodded back and then smiled at someone behind me and strong arms wrapped me up like they did just a night ago. "Hi."

"Come on, baby, let's get this over with, I hate to see you so upset." Eric grinned and I couldn't help but smile back.

**APOV**

"Stop the car!" I shouted and Edward jumped and pulled the Volvo over.

"What is it?" He snapped, clearly I'd scared him half to death.

"Vampires. Vampires and Southern accents. Edward, Bella's with vampires and she's…" I shook my head and tried not to show him yet, but I couldn't hold him off and I felt him dip into my subconscious. All I could see was Bella, bruised and battered, in a large vampire's arms smiling and blushing. He was looking at her all sweet and loving and I didn't want Edward to see that.

_The blonde vampire placed her in a fancy car and got in to drive them somewhere and he took her hand and kissed it. "I meant what I said. I'll help you remember everything, but I'm much happier just knowing Brea." Bella looked at him again and blushed_. He nodded and they were off and so was my vision. Edward was growling maniacally at my side, shaking the car.

"Her name is Bella!" He exclaimed and I sighed.

"Let's just…go tell Charlie." I whispered.

"Alice, she doesn't remember. She doesn't know me." He sobbed.

"Just because she doesn't remember, doesn't mean she doesn't know you, Edward." I patted his hand and we continued to drive to her house.

When we arrived Edward took a few shaky breaths before we walked up to the front door. When Charlie opened the door I could see he already knew something was wrong. He let us in and we went to the living room where he joined us and sat in his favorite chair. "Edward, Alice." He greeted and nodded. We nodded back. "Just tell me."

"Charlie, Bella's gone missing." I reached out and took his hand in mine and listened to him remember to breathe.

"Who…" He choked.

"We're not sure, but I think…she's safe, we just aren't sure where she is." I went on. I wasn't stupid enough to think he hadn't wondered about us and I saw that if we were as straight with him as we could be he'd hate Edward less.

"I leave her with you because you say you'll protect her." Charlie said through clenched teeth. His eyes were shut, but he was talking to my brother.

"I protect her as best as I can, sometimes… Sometimes I'm not able to." Edward's voice was bitter and hurt and I just wanted to cry.

"She's not in some alternate universe is she? I mean, I get it, you're not exactly normal. I just want to know that if I put a missing persons out on her we'll have a chance of finding her." Charlie glared at us and I sighed.

"We'll do everything we can to help. We love Bella, all of us, and we'll help search." I promised. "She'll be brought back just fine."

**BPOV**

We arrived at a small house just outside of town. Eric helped me out of the car and we headed up the porch with Sookie and Bill. "I still don't understand why Eric is here. I understand you and I, but he'll just be in the way." Bill argued.

"He's here because he makes me feel safe, for the hundredth time." I snapped. Lafayette opened the door and raised an eyebrow.

"I figured you'd knock, but yelling in my front yard works, too." He called and I blushed. "Now, won't y'all come on in?" We all walked into his house and my mouth dropped open. It was decorated just like he dressed. I absolutely loved all the sparkle and color, and I felt oddly at peace in his house. "I need you to sit in this chair, Eric, you can stand behind her, Bill and Sookie, figure it out."

"Bill's going to stare into your eyes, don't fight it, just allow him in and then I'm going to see if I can pull anything out." Sookie smiled and I yelped and glared at Lafayette who was now holding an empty syringe with a smile on his face.

"What the fuck?" I snapped. I felt my head get heavy and my vision began to swirl a little as a warmth enveloped me through my veins.

"Delodid. Just to loosen you up a little, now listen to your instructions." He folded his arms over his chest and I stuck my bottom lip out, but that didn't feel right.

"Look at me, come on." Bill coaxed and I turned my four hundred pound head to look into Bill's eyes. They were pretty, but not as pretty as Eric's or the honey ones. The honey ones were absolutely beautiful as they stared off passed me, but then they snapped to mine and it was hard to breathe as they burned into my soul.

I could feel them holding me there, sapping the energy right out of me, but filling me completely. "Bella, Bella means beautiful." I slurred and suddenly the haunted eyes seemed to crinkle at the sides like they were smiling. "It's Bella." I gasped, the eyes fading and bringing me back to those in front of me. Everything was spinning too fast and I couldn't keep my balance, or my stomach contents as it all flew up and onto Bill's shoes and then everything went black.


	7. I Am Viking, You Are Bella

_A/N: Ugh, I've missed you guys, have you missed me? I am super excited about this chapter and I hope you love it as much as I do! Please, read it and read it again…or not, but share the love. I hope to get more sooner than it's been (work has allowed me 100% access again, oh HAPPY day!) Anyway, hope you enjoy, and I hope to be back with more SOON! Xo_

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**ENPOV**

_Bella, what a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl_, I thought as I cradled her in my arms away from Bill and Sookie. It was bad enough that I didn't defend her when Bill man handled her in Merlotte's parking lot, I was not going to have him attack her again simply because she vomited on his shoes. He could afford new shoes, and Bella (I still smiled thinking of her real name) couldn't help herself. What with the strong medicine flowing through her veins and the stress of the attack on her senses, something was bound to happen.

"I think we should take her to bed, don't you, Sookie?" I asked never looking anywhere but at the sleeping beauty in my arms. She seemed so small compared to me, like holding a child, or a fragile bird.

"We're not done here. She needs to remember, we need to notify her family." Bill hissed. This did bring my attention to him and my fangs emerged instantly. Bill always had an air about him, the kind that made others think that perhaps he was much older, wiser, than he really truly is. The man is a raging buffoon. As far as I was concerned he was a danger to my Area and perhaps even the Queendom, but for some strange reason Her Majesty insisted I keep the parasite alive.

"Bill Compton, you will watch the way you speak to this young lady, or about her, do you understand me?" I could feel my rage growing, he spoke to Sookie in that tone - why she allowed it, I'd never know - but he wouldn't speak to my Bella that way. The thought of her being mine charged something inside of me and I could feel it reverberating through me. Bella stirred a little and I could feel her embarrassment and her confusion which only fueled me more. "She has a family somewhere, and I will find them, but not until she gets more of her memory back. And you need to remember your place."

"Yes, _Sheriff_." He hissed and nodded toward me slightly. It was not as respectful as I would have liked, but I was sure he was quite embarrassed as to have been taken to task not only in front of humans but in front of _his_ human.

"Now, since Bella doesn't seem to be in any way of cleaning up I suggest you do it so that our generous host doesn't have to do it." I smiled.

"I will not clean up a bleeder's bodily fluids." He snapped and God love her, Sookie turned on him bearing her teeth, _how cute_.

"Bleeder, Bill? What am I then? Just a lowly human pet?" Her fists were on her hips and her eyes were glaring at him, had they shot fire he would have been a pile of burning goop. I fought back a laugh.

"Of course not, my dear. I would never think of you as any less than an equal!" Bill tried to back track, but it didn't matter, Bella was awake. All eyes went to her instead of the emotional mongoloid in front of me.

"My dear Bella, are you alright?" I crooned down to her. She looked up at me and blushed.

"My name! You said my name." She smiled excitedly. "Oh, God." She moaned, pressing her eyes shut, I smiled wider at her feeling her joy turn back into embarrassment. "Oh, I am so sorry, Bill." She whined and I set her down on her feet so she had a bit more dignity. I watched as Bill's cold features disdainfully warmed up knowing that Sookie was definitely paying attention now and once he was composed he spoke.

"Bella, it is not your fault. Fear not, I will clean this up right away." He turned to Lafayette, my favorite flamboyant human, and nodded to him (which clearly hurt his pride), "Please direct me to your cleaning supplies." He and Lafayette walked off and Sookie took the opportunity to quickly close the distance between her and the girl and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh! Bella is such a beautiful name, much better than Brea, don't you think? And was there anything else you got from our little session? It's OK if you didn't, but still." She was so excited for her that I couldn't help but appreciate her more.

"Uh, Sookie, whatever Bill was doing didn't really work. I think it was the drugs. All he did to me was make my brain itch." Bella was looking down at the ground then and I gaped at her. Another special human? Could it be? I think Sookie was thinking the same thing because she chanced a quick glance at me before taking Bella and sitting with her on the couch.

"What do you mean, Bella?" She asked rubbing her arm. I crouched down before then, watching her intently.

"I don't know, but that reminded me of something, but it couldn't be…" She shook her head and blushed.

"Anything could be helpful, hon." Sookie smiled reassuringly. Bella's hand fell from her lap and it searched out mine. I gladly took it and rubbed circles on the back of it with my thumb. That seemed to calm her a bit and she went on.

"Like…something about me being A.M. radio instead of F.M. Like mind stuff doesn't affect me or something." She shook her head. "But that doesn't make any sense because that would mean either I hang out with Telepaths like you or…" She turned her head and looked at me. "Or I hang with vampires back home, too." Her free hand went up to the large heart diamond around her neck and she rubbed it as if an all knowing genie would come forth, or as if it was some sort of magical charm that would give her all of her answers. I frowned a little. Could another vampire be missing her? Could she already be claimed?

There was no way, I would have smelled it on her when I first met her. Being intimate with a vampire would certainly mean they had shared blood, or he would have at least drank from her. His essence would have been somewhere on her, but nothing. Only a hint of lavender and pine, but the pine had long since gone. Perhaps that was something from where she came from. I'd have to look into that.

"It is possible, Bella, that you knew at least one vampire if Bill's clamoring reminded you of something. If that is the case… Do you think you would have been intimate with the vampire?" I had to ask her, though I knew she probably wouldn't remember.

"Well, I'm attracted to you, Eric, so I can't see where I wouldn't for sure have been with a vampire if I knew one. But don't they have to be attracted to the human, too?" She asked, her eyes cast down, a sweet blush filling her face again.

"Well, of course, most of the time." I smiled.

"Then that's probably never happened." She sighed and Sookie tsked her while I picked my jaw up off of the ground.

"Bella, you are a beautiful, enchanting young woman. How could you think a vampire wouldn't find you attractive?" I snapped. Her eyes flicked to mine and they were full of tears.

"I'm nothing but ordinary, so stop lying. It's probably just your stupid blood talking." She pouted. It took all of my strength not to reach out and play with her pouty lip, but I didn't have to be a 1,000 year old vampire to know she wasn't in the mood at the moment. "I'm tired, Sookie. Can we go home?"

I sighed and let go of her hand. She was tired, more so than I had noticed before and Sookie nodded. "Would it be forward of me if I brought you back to Sookie's and tucked you in?" I smiled wryly and she giggled and shook her head.

"That's up to you, Eric. I wouldn't mind." She blushed so much, I absolutely loved the color on her.

"Sookie, we will meet you back at the house, if you don't mind. Respectfully, we will wait on your porch." I said and Sookie nodded. I knew she'd be heading towards Bill with a vengeance, and I didn't want Bella to witness a fight like that. She'd somehow make it her fault.

**BPOV**

I was still in absolute shock. I'm sure that Eric and Sookie had some wonderful things to say, and I'm sure I answered, but can we rewind, please? My name is Bella! And those golden, honey eyes must be real, right? I mean, they kind of - sort of - interacted with me! And they were so beautiful and so supernatural. Could it be possible that little ol' me could be found attractive by really hot vampires? Could I have a vampire waiting for me at home, wherever that is? Or perhaps he was already looking for me.

With this huge bit of information - as little as it was - I held onto some hope that perhaps those eyes would unveil more to me, and soon. And I wanted to know his name. It had to be a "he", right? I knew I wasn't attracted to females and those eyes filled me with so much love that I could barely breathe. What I wouldn't give for finding his name.

My thoughts were finally brought to a screeching halt when Eric pulled me out of his snazzy car and carried me up to Sookie's porch and set me down on his lap on the porch swing. It seemed pretty intimate considering I wasn't in pieces like the night before. Guarded, I lifted my gaze to him and he was smiling at me.

"I am so proud of you, Bella. You did a really brave thing tonight, letting Bill into your head." He nudged his forehead with mine. I giggled nervously when the simple contact woke feelings up inside of me I wasn't really expecting.

"Bill didn't do it, I'm sure of it." I replied.

"Ah, yes, you did say something about that but I wasn't sure if it was true. Sookie can not be glamoured, either." Eric said. I cocked my head to the side and stared at him.

"What does that mean? She's telepathic, I'm not. So how can we both be safe from that?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, though I have to say that your blood is quite appealing, as is Sookie's. More so than a normal human. I'm quite shocked I let you live last night, what with all that blood that you had already spilled. The scene should have been much different, Bella. I should have been draining what was left of you and my Pam should have been lapping you up off the tainted ground. Something occurred causing us to come to your aid instead, quite bizarre if you ask me." I wasn't really sure at this point if he was talking to me anymore. He seemed lost in thought but what he had to say was terrifying. I tried to leave his lap, but his arm that was around me held me more securely, keeping me there, frightening me more.

"Let me up, please." I whimpered. His ice blue eyes flashed to me and he relaxed and tapped his forehead to mine again.

"I'm sorry, Bella, did I frighten you?" He asked and sniffed the air.

"As if you can't tell." I huffed. I was pissed that he scared me and I was pissed that I wanted to touch him more and I was pissed that I'd probably have a nice bruise on my wrist from that cockhead, Bill and I was taking it out on Eric. Which pissed me off even more.

"I can tell a lot of things about you, Bella." Eric's voice went from a friendly tone to a more seductive nature and I suddenly had the urge to hop off of his lap for fear of getting his thigh wet. "I know when you feel anything." He smiled, his fangs emerging suddenly. Instead of being frightened by it, I had the strangest urge to reach out and touch them. "Even when you want me."

"Hey now!" I jerk myself out of his grip and stand in front of him, wishing that I could just disappear.

"I can smell it, too." His fangs were huge! Huge and long. And then my mind went directly into the gutter, it did not pass go, it did not collect $200.

"Eric…" I put one hand out to keep that distance between us and my other pinched the bridge of my nose as I tried to steady myself. "Telling a girl that you _know_ when she's…thinking…like that isn't the best way to get on her good side." I could feel my whole body go up in flames - or at least that's what it felt like - as I blushed uncontrollably.

"Come now, it works on many girls." Eric grinned and I scoffed at him.

"Yeah, maybe whores!" I snapped and turned to walk in the house. OF COURSE he blocked my path since he was all super fast and super witty. I just grumbled and looked around for a rock to kick.

"Are you implying that I think of you are a whore?" He growled down at me. I swallowed hard and backed away a little. "Are you implying that I have no respect for you? That I think of you as nothing more than a sex object? Because Bella…" And since I am me and since Eric is in the vicinity it was only fitting that as I backed away from his scary, yet sexy, wrath I would fall down the porch steps backwards. Apparently even a vampire can be surprised, at least that's what I was telling myself since he didn't use his super swiftness to catch me before I hit my ass about four times before I settled in the mud at the bottom of the steps. "Bella…" It was Eric's turn to pinch his nose.

"WHAT?" I snapped as I sat there in all of my glory not even attempting to get up.

"What is the meaning of you flinging yourself off of the porch?" He demanded.

I'm pretty sure I stared at him and flapped my gums like a fish out of water trying to assess the situation at hand. "Are you seriously upset that I fell - nearly to my doom - right in front of you?"

"You need to be more careful…" He sighed as he grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and plucked me out of the bud and tsked me about my bloody elbow. I stiffened and as he set me on my feet I crumpled to the ground in the fetal position.

You need to be more careful… "Oh my god…" I sobbed

"What is it, Bella?" Eric was crouched before me trying to touch me, to sooth me, but I kept swatting him away.

"How can I want to be more careful when _you_ left _me_, Edward?"


	8. I Remember, Now Can I Forget?

_A/N: OK, this chapter is a little dark and twisty, just the way I like it, but not for too long. I hope you enjoy. I wasn't expecting to get right to the next part right away, but I couldn't help it. Let me know what you think! Xo_

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**BPOV**

My insides felt like they were going to rip open, like a wild animal was trying to get at my organs, ravaging my skin and muscle to get to the warm parts of my inner body. I knew, at least I sensed, Eric there but I could grab onto him. I was sinking into a dark, black abyss and the further I fell the better I felt.

The honey eyes cried for me, but no tears came. They seemed glassy and pained, but no tears at all. Perhaps he was faking it. How could someone be crying without releasing the salt water evidence of their pain? Those eyes belonged to Edward, my vampire boyfriend…or at least he was my boyfriend. He left me, he didn't want me, I was right…a vampire…anyone wouldn't want plain old me. I was worth anything, he didn't want me.

Maybe if I just let this darkness take me over I wouldn't feel any more pain. It was bad enough that I couldn't remember my life before awaking in a crumple of blood and human waste. I didn't need to finally remember and have it be the most painful experience of my life.

"Break me, break me again!" I begged. That pain was not nearly as white hot as the pain I was in now. "Kill me, please!"

"Bella, Bella, calm down. Look at me, lover." I heard Eric's voice but it was really far away, it was as if I was under water and he was just at the surface, trying to keep me from drowning. But I wanted to drown.

"Please! I don't want to feel anymore!" I sobbed and strong arms wrapped me up and held me tight to a strong, massive chest. I gripped his shirt in my fists and sobbed into him as he tried to sooth me with soft words and caresses.

"What happened to you?" He asked, I heard a soft tick and wondered if his fangs were out. I chanced a glance up at his face and sure enough, there they were. I reached up to touch them, but he pulled his head back. "No, Bella."

"Please! You like my smell and I want to die. It's a win win situation." I sniffled. His lips twitched a little and a small smile crossed his face.

"Bella, I am not going to kill you, though drinking a little of your blood would be wonderful, but no. You are being irrational and I will not take any offers from an irrational woman." He replied. I started pounding on his chest. How dare he call me irrational, just because I wanted to die didn't mean that I was losing my mind. It was a perfectly normal way of thinking when my soul was ripped from me and taken away with the only man I ever truly loved. Right?

"Eric! What happened?" I heard Sookie's concerned drawl as she ran to the porch and I pressed my eyes shut, why so many people when all I wanted was to be alone?

"I think she remembered something…significant." He explained and kissed my forehead. I glared at him.

"What is it, Bella, what do you remember?" She searched my face with her doe eyes and I could feel the rage building and I needed to get away from her. She was so sweet and caring, she didn't deserve what I could feel was coming.

"Put me down." I said through clenched teeth. "I want to take a shower." Eric lowered me to the ground as Sookie opened the front door. She invited him in and said something about making something for me to eat as I walked mechanically to the spare bedroom where my little bathroom was.

I shut the door and ripped my - Sookie's - clothes off and turned on the hot water. I let the room fill with sticky hot steam while I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Ordinary, wavy brown hair framed an ordinarily face. Ordinary brown eyes seeped with silent, uncontrollably tears and my top lip, plumper than the bottom, was more swollen from my crying. What did I expect? The most beautiful immortal man was not going to love insignificant, plain, awkward me.

I broke my stare by grabbing the bottom of the mirror and pulling it open to see the medicine cabinet it hid behind it's glass. Inside was tooth paste, a new tooth brush, some aspirin and a Lady Bic. With a shaky hand I reached out and took the razor and closed the mirror again. With one more look at my pathetic reflection I turned and turned on the cold water to balance the temperature and then got in carefully.

I let the water wash over me so it could maybe wash away all the pathetic I was feeling. The water wasn't hot enough, so I righty-tightied the cold and the water ran hotter. My skin began to pink as the steam build around me again and I stood there like a statue for I wasn't sure how long.

When I finally mobilized again I washed and conditioned my hair and washed my body down and then grabbed the razor again. I stared at it as the water washed over it the way it washed over my body. I started slowly shaving my legs and then my under arms and finally stared at it again. I didn't nick myself, not once. That was different, and unfortunate, because I wanted to feel the sting of the hot water on the tiny slices while they healed over almost instantly.

I went to put the razor down on the edge of the tub and it slipped in my hand. When I grasped for it I hissed instantly. I opened my hand and saw the blade had sunk into the palm of my hand and the water made the bleeding look twice as bad as it probably was. I could feel myself getting a little light headed as I grabbed a hold of the handle and tugged the razor out of my hand.

I whimpered at the pain and how the water flapped the skin from the force of it and how it bled and bled all over the acrylic below me. I pulled my hand out of the water and stared at it. Out of the water the blood ran a little thicker and it began to hypnotize me as I watched it cascade in little rivers down my wrist and forearm. I slowly brought it to my nose and sniffed it. It was kind of metallic and it turned my stomach a little. But, curiosity got the best of me and I wondered if it tasted like Eric's so I carefully touched my tongue to the wound and wrinkled my nose. No, it tasted nothing like him.

I wondered how long it would bleed, if I had hit an important vein, if I would slowly bleed out. I chose to sit down on the corner of the tub and wait to see how much of my blood I could expel when I was wrapped up in a towel before the door hit the wall. I screamed in shock from being taken from my trance and from the swiftness of what had just happened. "Jesus _fucking_ Christ!" I gasped as I realized it was only Eric.

"What in the name of all that is sacred do you think you are doing?" He growled, his fangs extended, his face barely an inch from mine.

"I was taking a shower." I whispered. Eric's nose flared and he clenched his jaw.

Without dropping eye contact he gripped my right hand and pulled it up to my face. "Then why are you bleeding? I worked very hard to bring you back from near death and this is how you appreciate that?"

"It was an accident!" I snapped. "Not that it hadn't crossed my mind, but it was a fucking accident."

"Then why didn't you call for our help?" He hissed.

"Um, because it's not that big of a deal! I didn't cut my arm off, I just cut my hand. Nothing a band-aid…and it's really none of your business, now is it?" I raged as I pressed my fists against him to get him to put me down. Blood smeared both his shirt and the pristine towel he had me wrapped in. "You're ruining Sookie's towel."

My hand still snatched in his, he brought it to his mouth and licked it clean and as I watched in amazement it began to heal. "Get dressed and come down stairs." He fumed and slammed the door shut, rocking the house a little.

I stood there in awe for a minute and then started giggling. I snapped my hand over my mouth to shut myself up, but I couldn't stop. I wrapped my hair in the towel after I used it to dry myself and went to the bedroom where I put on the shorts and t-shirt from the night before and headed downstairs.

"Bella, are you alright?" Sookie asked, setting a bowl of chicken noodle soup before me with a glass of water.

"Thanks, Sookie, and yes I'm fine." I threw a death glare at Eric who was sitting next to me at the table with the razor in his hand. "I'm sure Eric informed you."

"He did…why don't you tell me what happened?" She smiled and sat down on my other side with two small slices of apple pie and a friendly smile. I took a deep breath, but turned to trying the soup. It was delicious and obviously home made.

"When did you…?" I pointed down at the bowl and she smiled.

"Oh, I make a great big batch and then freeze small containers of it for times like this, when me or someone needs a little comfort food. It was my Gran's recipe." She smiled and I nodded.

"I used that - I should have asked - to shave. I went to put it down and it slipped so I grabbed onto it too tight I guess. I cut my hand pretty good, no biggy." I explained.

"Ugh, those things! I usually get my knees and the backs of my ankles, do you do that?" She smiled and Eric slammed his hand down on the table. Sookie snapped her gaze to him and sounded like she growled. "Break my Gran's table, Northman, and I'll put a splintered leg through your heart."

"Holy shit!" I choked on chicken broth at her surprising threat of violence.

"I'm sorry, Sookie, but you're taking this too lightly." Eric fumed, but quickly checked for any damage of the table.

"I am not! Look, I see that the poor thing is upset and when she's comfortable and wants a shoulder I'm here to listen, but I do not and did not hear her wanting to off herself with a leg razor. I mean, that would take _forever_ anyway, could you imagine?" She turned to me and giggled.

"Oh Lord, I'd have to hack away for days to get anywhere with one of those!" For some reason, talking about my demise this way brought my old self back and I was feeling pretty good even with the info I had remembered as of late. "And to answer your question, this was the first time shaving that I didn't get my knees or the backs of my ankles!"

"Women…" Eric huffed. "Bella, I'm sorry for over reacting, but I strangely care for you and your wellbeing."

"It's OK, I get it. Wait, Sookie, you can hear me?" I was so excited. Perhaps I wasn't messed up, maybe it was just some kind of defense against vampires or something.

"Yes I can, which you and I both know is a change." She winked.

"Maybe I'm getting better?" I sighed as I finished off my soup and Sookie traded it out with one of those pieces of pie. I took a bite of it and moaned, I'm sure my eyes rolled in the back of my head as well. "God, Sook, this is the best apple pie I have ever had!"

"It's another one of Gran's. She makes it all from scratch - or made - and now I do the same thing. Not only is the food just delicious, but the making of it is so therapeutic."

"Maybe tomorrow, after we go shopping, we can bake?" I asked. I blushed a little as I presumed so much. Why would she share such personal recipes with a stranger, but I did love to cook.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea! We can put some iced tea out on the back porch in the morning and it will be all ready by the time we get back." She smiled widely. I couldn't help but smile just as wide.

"What is this about women? I'm trying to find out why Bella went crazy on the front porch and here you two are acting as if that didn't even happen. Bella, something upset you…" Eric ruined my campy moment and I sneered at him.

"I remembered something and it happened to be one of the most - if not the most - terrible moment of my life. Excuse me if I had a break down." I snapped.

"What was it?" He pried.

"The vampire boyfriend that I may or may not have had? Yeah, he was real, and his name was Edward, and he left me, OK?" I blubbered. "Must we bring it back up?"

"Does this Edward have a last name?" Eric continued.

"Shut the fuck up, Eric! Seriously? I don't know, OK?" I could feel my eyes welling up - again - and I wanted to find something sharp and of the wood variety to plunge into Eric's eyeball.

"What is his name, Bella?" Eric pressed.

"Edward, OK, that's his name. Edward fucking Cullen!" My eyes went wide and I dropped my fork. "Edward Cullen…"

"Eric, this is turning into too much right now, Eric. Stop pressuring her." Sookie said, grabbing my hand out of the air. I turned my attention to her and bit my bottom lip.

"He has…golden honey eyes and pale, cool skin. And he's tall, not as tall as Eric, and he's solid. He's not as buff as Eric, but he's all muscle, and he has the most interesting hair, it's like a mix between red and blonde, but almost like an almond, and he has the best smile, he dazzles me." The stupid tears were pouring out again and I couldn't stop them. "And he left me." I let my head fall onto the table as I blubbered like an idiot.

"Awe, honey…are you sure that he's really gone? Maybe this is just a really strong memory that came through before the rest? Maybe he's back?" Sookie was so cute when she was hopeful, but I doubted her thoughts at the moment.

"I'm really…tired." I finally raised my head from the table and wiped all the liquids draining from my face.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" Eric asked, his voice caressing me and soothing me. What the hell was this voodoo? I knew that I wasn't that kind of girl, I wasn't one to lose one guy and go right to another one, and even if I was that wouldn't happen with this. I could tell Edward was more to me than just some boyfriend, yet Eric had this weird pull on me and since I was so freaking tired I didn't have the power to push it aside.

So I nodded.

He scooped me up from the chair and carried me to the spare room and tucked me into bed and then climbed on top of them and cuddled me to his side. "You know, Edward used to do this for me, but Edward never slept."

"Oh, I'm sure he did, just during the day like I do." Eric whispered.

"No, Edward and I met each other in high school when we were both Juniors. And then he'd stay the night and hold me and then go home to change and return in time to drive me to school." I smiled sadly.

"He was out during the day?" Eric gaped at me.

"Yeah." I replied and rolled my eyes.

"Vampires can't be out in the day light." Eric replied.

"Well, my vampires can! Stop arguing with me." I smacked his rock hard chest and he shook his head.

"And you met him when you were a Junior, and when did he break up with you?"

"After my birthday party." I shivered slowly remembering everything. Every little detail. Except for anything after he broke up with me in the woods.

"Which birthday?" Eric cocked an eyebrow.

"Um…my seventeenth." I rolled my eyes.

"And how old are you now?"

"Eighteen."

"When is your birthday, Bella?" He coaxed.

"September thirteenth." I replied.

"That was only two days ago. It's the fifteenth." He explained.

"That doesn't make any sense. What the hell happened to the last year?" I stared at him, hoping he had my answers.

"I don't think Edward and you are broken up, at least not anymore, but if you want to think that and you need - what do you call it - a rebound, well I'm right here." His toothy grin made me snort. He was appreciative of my laughter, and I was appreciative of his making me laugh.

"Why do you think we're not broken up?" I asked after my laughter died down.

"Because you're wearing something I have a feeling he gave you, and since you are it must mean a lot to you so, it's not something I'd see on a heart broken young woman." He offered and he might have had a point there.

"But how do I know that? I mean, I like it here. I like Sookie and you're fun, I don't know if I really want to go back to the way my life was. Maybe if I remember more of it I may change my mind, but really…can't I just stay here?" I snuggled back into Eric's chest and he squeezed me a little tighter.

"I will help you do whatever it is you want, Bella. I give you my word." He whispered and kissed my hair. I fell asleep soon after to the rhythm of his hand rubbing up and down my back.

**APOV**

I gasped and started to sob. Bella's last memory was of Edward leaving her. She'd never come back home at this rate. And I had to keep all of this from Edward, if he saw her lying in bed with another man - vampire or not - he would have a fit. I could just imagine him running off, full speed, to find her and getting us all in trouble.

But I couldn't wait to find her and meet Sookie, she was so sweet and she was taking such good care of our Bella. She was cooking for her and clothing her, she was housing her and trying to help her with her memory, but mainly she was telepathic and she could read Bella. I needed to see that in person. Edward was going to be so angry!

But, thank god I was out hunting with Jasper. Edward wouldn't have to know if I didn't let him. He could be blissfully ignorant to this new development, and since he was on the verge of losing his vampire mind this was probably for the very, very best.

"What is it, Darlin? You're raging a small war in that pretty little head of yours." Jasper was behind me and rubbing my shoulders instantly. I relaxed immediately.

"I saw Bella again." I sighed as my head lolled forward at my husband's touch.

"We should get back and tell Edward." Jasper said.

"Oh no, not with the visions I had. She's not in any danger, but that big vampire Edward's been fuming about has gotten really close to our Bella and I think Edward would do something stupid if he saw that." I replied.

"I see, well is she at least alright? I miss her." Jasper sighed and turned me in his arms to pull me into a tight hug.

"I know, we all do, Jaz. Yes, she's alright…for the most part." I bit my bottom lip, knowing that I couldn't keep anything from my mate.

"But…?" He pushed away just enough to stare me down.

"But, when she remembered Edward, she remembered when he left her. Jasper, she doesn't seem to have anything past that yet." I could feel myself wanting to cry again. "She needs to know he came back, she needs to know we all came back!"

"Give her some time, it's only been two days. We'll get her back in no time." His grip tightened on my again and I let out a stressful breath. He was right, we'd find her and she was progressing so well… She'd be back to normal and back home in no time. Now, all I had to do was figure out something to do while I was around Edward. I giggled and Jasper looked down at me again.

"What is this I feel?" His voice had gotten a little gravely all of a sudden.

"Well, I need something to distract these thoughts from Edward… Got any ideas?" I batted my eyelashes and suddenly my back was knocking down quite a large tree while my husband devoured my neck.


	9. Did They Ever Care After All?

_A/N: Sorry for the delay. Been super busy with work and I've told you before about how my work computer dislikes my posting. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the little detour I took trying to explain the way I fit the two worlds together. And finally Edward and Bella speak. The plot will thicken soon and then we'll be onto the end. Thanks for being so patient my lovely readers! Enjoy!_

* * *

**EPOV**

If it wasn't for her stunning ability to see the love of my existence I would have ripped her into tiny little insignificant pieces and scattered her parts all over the west coast. But, since she seemed to see Bella clearer than anyone or anything she's ever looked for before kept the pixie bitch alive.

I loomed there, in the shadows, about one hundred yards out and tried to block out what she and Jasper were currently doing. But I had heard, rather witnessed, what she had while she hunted. My Bella remembered, but she remembered wrong, and while she was remembering wrong she was in the arms of another man. And not just a man, a vampire.

Once I had a few seconds of them being apart I swooped down and growled loud enough to shake the trees around us. Alice froze, Jasper took a protective attack stance between his wife and myself. I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, did you think you could keep that from me, Alice? Bella is the most important thing in my world and you are on the same continent. Of course I picked up on your visions."

"Instead of going after Alice, perhaps you should be thinking about that human of yours. She so easily ran to another man. A vampire wouldn't do that, Edward. Your mate wouldn't do that." Rosalie hissed as she came from the opposite shadows. I swear she'd been waiting for a day like this since I first laid eyes on Bella Swan. And of course, if I could hear Jasper and Alice the rest of the family could, too. I didn't know what I wanted more: Pixie confetti or roasted primadonna.

"I thought you all were going to go out hunting tomorrow night." Alice shied away from us and snuggled into Jasper's side. Just because Jasper had fought wars didn't mean I couldn't add a few more bites and scratches. Hell, I could even remove some of them with the limbs I would rip off.

"Carlisle felt it best if we were all on the same schedule, in case we have to leave in short notice to find Bella." Esme tried to calm us all down by getting closer and giving us all her motherly look. It rarely worked on us, we'd just pretend, but tonight she didn't have a shot in hell.

"Where is she, Alice?" I seethed.

"I still don't really know. Instead of threatening me with all the wonderful future ways I'm going to die, perhaps you could let me concentrate? Maybe I could see something, huh? Would that be alright with you, your majesty?" Alice snapped. No matter how angry I was Alice was my favorite and Bella was hers. I needed to reign it in a little, for her sake anyway. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down.

**BPOV**

"Hello, Lover." Eric purred in my ear and I felt my body react to his voice. If I thought that reaction was much, when his cool fingers trailed down my bare arm I thought I was going to convulse off of the bed.

"Hi." I whispered with a smile. He grinned at me, his fangs slightly extended and as I looked him over I realized he was completely naked. I took in a breath sharply as I noticed how excited he was. My eyes could hardly be pulled away from him. I wanted to touch him, to feel how hard he was and to worship him more than anything.

"I can feel you, Bella, your reaction to me is driving me crazy, not to mention the scent of your arousal." He smirked and I felt the tell tale heat rise to my face. I tried to bury my head in my pillow, but he reached down and gently gripped my chin in his hand. "Please, don't hide from me. I haven't seen your face in so long…"

My eyes jerked to where Eric once was and now it was Edward, just as naked, but so much more beautiful. His eyes were smoldering and I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"Don't give up on me, Bella. I love you more than myself, I will find you." He breathed as he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was desperate, passionate, and full of love. I whimpered into his mouth as our tongues battled for dominance.

"Bella!" Edward worshiped my name as his lips trailed down my neck to my collarbone. I shivered in ecstasy. "Bella…" He moaned as his hand found my warm center.

"Bella?" What? What was this? My eyes flew open and I was alone in bed, the sun streaming through the windows. I sat up quickly and looked around. "Bella, are you awake?"

It was a dream. All of it. Eric wanting me, Edward lying with me and touching me in ways he probably never would. But it felt so real, like a memory, but that made no sense. Edward hadn't come back yet, had he? And even if he had, he wasn't here now. Perhaps he would never look for me, perhaps he felt that I was better off without him, just like that time in the woods.

Wait, no, he didn't want me when he left me in the woods, where were these thoughts coming from? It was almost as if I wouldn't accept that something big happened after he left, that perhaps he had come back. I didn't remember this necklace being given to me by him before he and his family left me, but I had the strangest feeling it was from him. I shook the cobwebs of the dream out of my head and cleared my groggy throat. "Yes, I'm up. Come on in." I plastered a smile on my face, hoping perhaps it wouldn't look too fake. I was a terrible liar.

The bedroom door opened and in came Sookie with a tray of breakfast. Hot cakes, some oatmeal looking thing and some fresh fruit. "What's that?" I asked her as she set the tray over my lap.

"It's grits. It's great. It's cornmeal and cream. I added a little sugar, just the way I like it." She smiled and I picked up my spoon and scooped some up. I sniffed it, it smelled great. I took a taste and it was better than it smelled.

"Wow, Sookie, this is awesome!"

"Eat up, and then come on down when you're dressed for the day. We're going shopping - on Eric - it'll be fun." She smiled. I wrinkled my nose. "What, you don't like shopping."

"As long as it's not with vampire shop-a-holics." I giggled and nearly choked on my bite of hot cake.

"What is it? Are you alright?" Sookie looked so concerned.

"Alice! Alice must miss me so much. She loves me so much, like a sister, I hope she's not going crazy with worry." I could feel my eyes begin to well up and I shook my head. "that or it was all an act."

"Bella, you've got to stop this. I do it all the time, self degradation is a terrible thing. I can't imagine both Edward and Alice acting as though they love you. And if Edward gave you that necklace, well… No man, especially vampire, would spend their good money on a lie." Sookie patted my knee and I sighed. Perhaps she was right.

"Can I ask you something? Something that's been bothering me since I got here?" I blushed a little.

"Of course, Bella, I want you to trust me and talk to me about anything. Since you arrived I've thought of you as my friend." Sookie smiled. She was good. I wasn't sure if it was the southern hospitality or what, but Sookie was one sweet cookie. Hey! That rhymed!

"Bill and Eric and Pam… They aren't hiding what they are. Why?" I asked, taking another bite of breakfast.

"Well, they do hide from most people. See, there are rumors of a revelation that is about to happen." Sookie said.

"A what?"

"A revelation. They want to come out of the coffin," at this Sookie giggled a little. "They want the world to know that they exist. They want rights and they want to be accepted."

"But they drink human blood, what human would be excited about that?" And then I snorted. The two of us were in love with vampires. Of course, mine drank animal blood, but they all drank blood. And human blood was what they truly wanted. Edward had said many times how difficult it could be, especially around her.

"Eric said that the Japanese have come up with a synthetic that has all the nutrients of real blood, so that they can 'mainstream' as they call it and not have to feed on humans. I would have to admit that there would be some humans who would delight in being a vamp's snack. So I'm sure there will be mixed reviews. But I think it's best for all involved." Sookie smiled and looked off passed me, deep in thought.

"Well, the Volturi won't be happy hearing that!" I gasped, it all slowly coming back to me.

"What is it?" Sookie asked concerned.

"Oh, Sook! Edward _does_ love me! He did leave, but then Alice and I went to save him from the Volturi. See, he thought I was dead, so he went to Italy to ask the Volturi - they're like their rulers - to kill him, but they wouldn't so he was going to reveal himself and hope they'd do him in anyway. We got there just in time. Long story short, he was coming back for me soon had he not heard the bullshit that I had flung myself off a cliff… Well, I did, but I didn't do it to die, I did it for the rush… Anyway, we worked through it. We were back together! The necklace is from him because it was my birthday… He wants to marry me… I'm so stupid!" I laid back down on the bed and curled up around a pillow and started crying. "Why did I fight him? Why did I say I was too young? Why didn't I… I need him, Sookie!"

"Oh, Bella! OK, well we will find him, OK? Do you remember his phone number?"

"No! It was on speed dial!" I could just die. Who relied on technology like that, anyway?

"What about email, do you know their email?" She asked and I grinned.

"I know mine. Maybe there's something in my inbox? What day is it? How long have I actually been gone?" I jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs to the kitchen. It was the 16th, I had only been gone for three days. And the word of the day? Educe which is to bring out and it's a verb. Kind of means to remember. This made me think of the previous word of the day which was ostentatious and I felt the tears pool all over again. The reason that made me laugh was because Edward had used it while describing Rosalie's stupid red BMW.

I didn't waste much time at the fridge, I went right to the kitchen table where Sookie had her lap top and I went directly to my email. Nothing new, but there were old emails from Alice about shopping trips and sleep overs and one from Edward with his brooding about missing me while I was grounded.

I copied the email address and started a new email. I was shaking I was so over whelmed. I wanted him to come through the computer screen, I wanted him to hold me in his arms and tell me everything was going to be fine, I wanted to tell him yes.

_Edward:_

_I'm alright. I'm in Bon Temps, Louisiana with a bunch of great people. Eric, Pam and Sookie have made sure that I'm doing well after my accident. I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner, I just couldn't remember you. I know this will make no sense, but maybe if I could talk to you on the phone or face to face I could explain it better. Sookie's number is at the bottom of my email, call me as soon as you get this. I love you, Edward. So much._

_Yours,_

_Bella_

I hit send and sat there tapping my foot nervously. If I knew my Edward I knew he would probably be reading this by now, and in the next few seconds…

The phone rang. I knew who it was, but I couldn't move. Sookie came into the kitchen, looked at me funny and then picked up the phone. "Hello?" Her eyes darted to me and she grinned. "This is Sookie Stackhouse, who is this?" There was a pause and her eyes narrowed. It had to be Edward, and he must not be happy. "Curb it or I'll just set this here phone down and you can wait until you're more relaxed to talk to my friend, Bella." I tried not to snicker. Edward could be such a drama queen sometimes.

Although he sort of deserved to be at the moment. I stuck my hand out indicating I'd like the phone. She smiled and handed it to me and walked out onto the front porch. I took a really deep breath and then put the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

I could hear air whoosh on the other end, he must have been holding his breath and I bit my lip to keep from sobbing. "Bella…" He said my name like it was a prayer. I couldn't keep the tears from pouring out of my eyes then. "Bella I am so sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked through sniffles.

"I should have done more to protect you." He sighed.

"Like what? Die? I don't think so. Besides, those guys were retards. They let me out of the car and I took off. In broad daylight might I add. I guess I wasn't really watching where I was running and when I tried to stop myself it was already too late…" I didn't want to tell him this story, he'd be so angry.

"What do you mean, love?"

"Well, I sort of launched myself off of another cliff." I winced and I heard him hiss. Yep, pissed.

"Bella, you could have died! How many times do I have to tell you to be more careful?" He snapped and so did I.

"Um, hello Assward! I was running away from two crazed vampires who would have loved to kill me. They told me that enough times. I wasn't thinking clearly. And I was tired and hungry. I was running through the woods, I wasn't climbing Mount Rushmore! I didn't know it was a cliff until I came to it. I slipped on some mud and off I went." I yelled. The grip I had on the phone made me wince audibly. My hand was still really sore.

"I'm sorry…" Shock the hell out of me why don't you? I never would have expected him to apologize for reprimanding me - ever.

"Anyway, a couple vamps found me and brought me here to Sookie's and long story short here we are." I started gnawing my lip again. At this rate it would probably fall off.

"Bella, I need you to have them send you home. Your father, he is an absolute wreck, and we all miss you terribly. I can't think without you. I'll purchase you a plane ticket and..." I cut him off before he could finish.

"Edward, I'm not sure I'm ready to leave yet. I really like it here, my new friends are amazing… I'd love for you all to meet them. Why don't you come here and then we can all travel back together?" I asked. It was a long shot, he'd probably reject my request, but I had to try. Though I missed my family in Forks, I still had things I wanted to do with my new friends, now that I was pretty much back to normal.

"Louisiana isn't like Forks, I'm sure you know. It's sunny there, we can't be seen in the sun." He sighed.

"Well, some of my friends don't come out until dark anyway. Please?" I knew if I begged he would be unable to resist. I hated to do that to him, but I had to. I wasn't ready to say good bye to those who helped me yet.

"I will not put my family in that kind of danger. Let me speak to my family and I will call you back. I miss you so much, Bella. I hate that I wasn't there when you needed me." He brooded. I smiled.

"Don't keep me waiting too long." I purred into the phone and I swore I heard him moan. We said our goodbyes and I hung up. Sookie called to me from the porch and I headed out.

"What an attitude that boy of yours has." She grinned.

"He is incredibly over protective." I smiled.

"So, you're leaving I take it…" She tried not to look upset, but I could see it.

"Not yet. I'm hoping Edward comes to visit for a bit. Just until I'm ready to leave. There's still so much I want to ask Eric and Pam and I never properly thanked them…"

"If Edward is over protective, and I'd guess possessive, this may not be the best idea, Bella." Sookie warned and I nodded.

"I know, but that's one thing I never considered when I forgave him. I just let things go back to the way they were. I didn't speak up for myself, I didn't lay out compromises. They're always his compromises. Being here, not knowing who I was for a few days, remembering… I think I've become a different person. At least a little, maybe. I'm just not ready to go back to the way things were." I toyed with the diamond heart around my neck and looked out into the yard.

"You've been alone for awhile. In your mind you've been alone for months. Just because reality came back and proved you weren't doesn't mean the feeling goes away. I think you two have a lot of talking to do. And perhaps here is best, it's neutral ground." Sookie nodded. "Now, what do you say we go shopping?"

I rolled my eyes, envisioning Alice again and smiled. "Lets!"


	10. Cheers, Where Everyone Knows

_A/N: OMG, the crap is going to hit the fan people… I hope you like it. Let the dramz begin!_

* * *

**BPOV**

After doing a crap load of shopping I dragged my sorry butt into the booth at Merlotte's where Sookie and I decided to grab lunch. She had the day off, in my opinion the last place I would want to be was my work place, but hey! It's Sookie and it's a small town.

The red head, Arlene, was our waitress. She scrunched her face into the fakest smile I had ever seen. She apparently didn't really like Sookie all that much. Or maybe it was me, but who really cared?

"Hey there, sweetie! What brings you in here on your day off?" She said as she pulled out her order pad. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Hadn't I just thought that?

"Well, it's close to home and Bella and I just had a long day of shopping, so we decided to stop in. Besides, don't you spend most of your nights off here, Arlene?" Sookie went for the jugular. Arlene's eyes widened and I snickered. She shot a glance at me and I started chewing on my finger nail.

"What can I get you ladies?" All business now, someone was definitely not happy to see us. We placed our orders, two cheeseburgers and fries, Sookie got an iced tea and I got a coke.

While we waited for our food I stared out the window into the parking lot. The sun was beautiful, and the trees were amazing the way the moss hung from them, proving how hot it could get in the summer time. It was nearly a perfect mixture of Forks and Phoenix with the abundance of trees but the heat and sun of the south. I wondered if there truly was a good enough reason to return.

I loved Charlie, and I loved the Cullens, especially Edward, but if there was going to be this huge revelation and they could be out and about I wondered if they'd just come and stay with me here. It would be easier than to adjust to Forks again when they knew you were a blood drinking monster. Start fresh, something that really appealed to me.

Of course, I'd have to finish school. I couldn't imagine not getting a high school diploma, but weren't there schools here in Bon Temps? Not to mention, how many times had the Cullens graduated? They wouldn't miss repeating it again, would they?

And then the way Edward was with me on the phone. I never would have expected him to have to think about coming to me. He and his family had done it before when I was in Arizona, what was the difference here? Especially when they'd have a safe place to be out of the sunlight? I dropped everything, risked my life for Edward when Alice and I went to Italy, and we weren't even together then. Shouldn't he be willing to do the same for me?

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sookie's sweet voice permeated my thoughts and I sighed. I looked away from the window and settled on her face. She seemed concerned.

"Just thinking of a bunch of random stuff." I replied. She nodded and I had the urge to go on, so I gave her the rundown on everything I had just ran through in my mind. We paused when Arlene brought us our drinks and then Sookie spoke.

"You know it's always your choice, no matter what. You have to do what makes you happy. Maybe I can make it a little easier for you. You've got a place back home, but you'll always have a place here, so no matter what you choose you won't really be alone." She smiled and I felt the sting of tears, so I blinked them away.

"I just can't believe he has to think about coming here. I never would have given it thought to go to him, ever. I mean, does he really love me the way he says he does?" I sniffed. Realizing I was on the verge of a small melt down I took a sip from my pop. I held it with my bad hand, the cold soothed the ever present throbbing.

"You should let Eric help you with your hand." She suggested.

"Nah, this isn't my first rodeo, Sook. If you got a hold of my medical chart back home you'd think I was into extreme sports or something." I laughed a little.

"Still, if he's willing to take the hurt away you should let him, don't you think? Although… Bill said something about a blood bond. Why don't we go out to Fangtasia tonight and hang out with Eric and Pam?" Sookie offered.

I raised an eyebrow as I munched on the food Arlene just brought. This was after I sniffed it and checked it for spit. "Don't you have to be 21?"

"You aren't drinking and you're a guest of the owner. I'll call him and see what he says." She shrugged.

"OK." I smiled. "It might be a nice distraction. I just can't get Edward out of my mind. There's just something not right about him needing to think about coming to me when I didn't even question it when I went to my potential Italian death. I was beating a dead horse. And Eric was sexy. Why was I even still worrying about it?

After we had finished lunch and headed back to the house I decided to check my email. Perhaps Edward emailed me or Alice. I thought about calling my father, but I wasn't ready yet. He'd come, guns blazing, to bring me home. That wasn't where I wasn't to be at the moment.

I had an email from Alice but no one else. And no calls yet from Edward. That just pissed me off. I shrugged it off and opened her email with a smile.

_Bella!_

_Oh, it's so good to know you're truly OK. I hope you're healing well, Edward told us all about what had happened. As you can guess I saw most of it, but it hurt me not knowing where you were._

_Edward says you need time before you come home and that you'd like to have us come to you for a while. I understand why everyone is so worried about the prospect, but I don't really want to wait any longer to see you. I keep trying to talk Edward in to making it down there, but he is still unsure. He doesn't want to alert THEM of where you are and he doesn't want to run the risk of being seen._

_He really misses you, Bella. Don't keep doubting that. And your ideas to sooth your pain with another vampire isn't wise either. You are Edward's mate, Bella. He will never love another, and I don't think you could, either. Besides, I see something interesting happening in your near future. Not really happening to you, but a new special friend of yours, so be careful of your actions. ;-) _

_I'll call you soon, and Edward should be calling sooner. Probably once you read this. He'd do anything for you, Bella, but not when the consequences outweigh the need to see you. You understand. Especially since you're 100% safe._

_Love you!_

_Alice._

_PS: Jasper says hi, and so does Em._

I stared at the email for a long time. Alice was hypocritical now, too. She was the first one to want to rush to Italy. She was the first one to readily put me in danger. Now, now that it had something to do with her whole family - MAYBE - she wasn't willing to be so drastic. Because I was safe. What the fuck?

I took a deep breath and hit reply. What did I really have to lose at this point?

_Alice, _

_Miss and love you guys too, but this isn't fair. I gave up _everything_, I risked _everything_, for Edward. Just because I _may be_ completely safe you're not willing to do the same? Fine, I see exactly where I've always stood. Just as I thought. You all never really, truly cared about me. You were just having fun with your human toy. This just gives me more reason to want to stay here. _

_Make up your minds, but remember, consequences happen with everything._

_Bella._

I shut the computer after hitting send and cried. I cried for my dad, knowing how much he missed me. I cried for my so called family and friends. I cried for my so called mate. And then I got pissed.

"Hey, what's the matter pretty girl?" Jason walked in the back door and I sniffled and looked up at him and smiled.

"What timing!" I laughed. "Just down I guess. And pissed."

"I got some old bottles in the shed and a shot gun. Wanna let off some steam?" Jason wiggled his eyebrows.

"Jason Stackhouse!" Sookie exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. "You don't call, write…" And she wrapped him up in a hug. Jason wiggled out with a blush.

"Awe, hey, Sook. Anyway, the offer stands…" He looked at me strangely and it dawned on me that he didn't know my real name.

"Bella." I nodded.

"Right. Anyway, I'll be out there if you're interested."

"I can't. My hand is all tore up, and I don't think shooting a gun would make it feel better." I sighed.

"Well, I still have bottles, and I think I might have a baseball bat." He winked.

"Stress relief, Jason? I don't think so. Besides, you're here to do the lawn." Sookie grinned and Jason frowned, said he'd see us later and stomped out of the house. I just laughed.

"He's nice. I can't believe he was concerned." I reflected. I never would have thought a muscle head like that would be able to care. But then again, Emmett had one of the biggest hearts…

"God I wish I drank." I grumbled and plopped back down in my chair.

* * *

It was a few hours later, we had friend chicken, mac and cheese, corn bread and some green veggies I couldn't stomach. We were getting dressed, Sookie was wearing a pale yellow summer dress and I had purchased a blue eyelet sun dress and some flats to match. I put my hair up in a pony tail, because even though it was mid September it was still hotter than Hades. I had to admit, my average pale skin was pretty unique and quite pretty in this part of town, since everyone seemed to like the sun. And when I added smoky eyes and red lips I could have passed as a model. OK, maybe not, but in my mind I could.

We got into her little yellow car, which I actually liked, and headed into Shreveport. When we pulled up to a plain, grey building that looked a lot like a ware house I got a little nervous. But the sign on the front that said Fangtasia made me feel a little better. It even made me giggle.

"I did the same thing, but I guess when you're 1,000 years old it's the small things that make you laugh."

"A thousand years old? Seriously?" I could feel my eyes bugging out of my head. I guess I never really thought about him being older than like maybe thirty. Even that seemed a little old. For me, anyway. But hell, I wasn't getting any younger and I was already a year older than… No, I wasn't going to dwell on _him_ tonight.

We got out of the car and headed up to the front door, where there was a line and Pam at the head of it. She saw us heading her way and she smiled and nodded, crooking her finger indicating we should head straight to the head of the line. Her eyes raked over me to the point where I felt a bit uncomfortable, but I ignore it. I should just be flattered, really.

"Sookie! You bring me our new friend. Go on in and Long Shadow will direct you to Eric's office." She smiled and pinched my cheek. Not the one on my face… I yipped and jumped a little. She laughed.

I wasn't sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. Fangtasia was the exact picture of cheesy gothic décor. Black and red. That was it. But near the back of the bar there was a small stage like area with what could only be described as a throne in the center of it. I wondered what that was for.

Sookie must have noticed my ogling and she smiled. "That's where Eric sits when he wants to give the patrons something to talk about."

"What a big headed, egotistical…"

"Sex God?" I jumped - again - out of my skin when Eric laid his hands on my shoulders popping up behind me out of nowhere.

"Jesus CHRIST!" I shouted.

"It is so sexy when you curse." He grinned and I sighed. He was so pretty!

"Don't DO that!" I begged, my heart finally going back to its rightful place in my chest.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, lover." He purred. Really? "And where is your escort, Sookie?"

"It's a girl's night, Eric." She smiled. "Gin and tonic for me and a coke for Bella, please."

"Bella, mind if I bring you with me to the bar?" Eric asked. I smiled and took his arm. The people trickling into the bar were glaring at me. I didn't really care. "I hear you've remembered everything. Are you doing well with it?" He lifted my wounded hand and sniffed it, his fangs peeking out.

"I'm not too happy about it, but I do remember." I sighed and then winced when he put a small bit of pressure on my hand.

"Come." He said, and directed our drinks to Sookie's table nearest the stage. I followed behind him, nearly jogging to keep up. We ended up in his office and he shut the door. I knew I shouldn't be in a room alone with him, simply because I knew what I wanted to do with him. But, at the same time if I was willing how much did I really love Edward?

"So…what are we doing in here?" I said, just above a whisper.

"Blood bond… It's already begun because I gave you my blood when I saved you. I will give you as much as you need, whenever you need it, but that means I will be able to feel you and know where you are at all times. The more we do this the more potent it becomes. You may be able to feel me the same way. Especially if I ever take any of yours. The bond can be short term or long term, depending on the amount of blood and the amount of times we share it. You need to know this before I offer you more for your infected hand."

"My hand is infected?" I winced.

"Yes. It will only get worse. We could get you an antibiotic, but this would be faster and absolutely effective." He nodded.

"Will this make me love you? I mean, will I feel for you because of the blood? Will my emotions and stuff be my own?" I have read entirely too many smutty novels.

"It will heighten your libido, but it won't necessarily make you love me. You'll be drawn to me, but it's your choice what you want to do with it." Eric said, not looking at me. I could tell he was trying to act like it didn't matter, but that made me think it did.

"And you'd just be doing this to make me better, right? Not to trap me or something?" I eyed him. "I mean, I still have Edward to think about."

"I swear, no strings attached." He smiled. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes glazing over, but it was so slight and quick I could have been mistaken. So I nodded. He bit into his wrist and I began to drink. The feeling of it going through my body was amazing, and it made me kind of want to hump his leg.

As I moaned a little from the feeling and taste the door swung open. "Master…" Pam sounded odd.

"Bella?" _Oh shit!_ I swung around, knowing there was blood all over my mouth and Eric's arm was wrapped around my waist. Edward stood there in the door, his eyes ablaze, with Pam's arm twisted at an odd angle behind her.

Fuck my life…


	11. Fanger VS Sparkler

_A/N: So, what is Bella going to do? Or Eric for that matter. Edward does have his child by the arm. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's kind of an emotional roller coaster. R&R, let me know what you think. XOXO_

* * *

**BPOV**

So, there I stood with blood all over my mouth and Eric kind of wrapped around me and Edward stood in the doorway with Pam's arm twisted all to hell. Yes, I was caught, but was I really doing anything wrong? And why the HELL was he holding Pam that way? Not to mention, why hadn't Eric said or done anything yet? And then I realized… I was treating Edward like the enemy right off the back. I took a deep breath and noticed a white handkerchief draped in front of my face.

"Thanks," I mumbled as I wiped my face. "What are you doing, Edward?"

"She wouldn't let me in." He grumbled.

"Pam, why didn't you let him into the bar?" I asked. I barely knew her, but I was sure she had a good reason.

With a roll of her eyes and a futile attempt to wrench her arm out of his granite grip she snarled. "He's under age on his ID."

"See, perfectly good reason." I said. "Let her go."

"Fine." He spat and sort of pushed her away from him as he released his grip. Pam spun on him, her fangs out, and I groaned.

"What is it, lover?" Eric asked rubbing my shoulders. In that moment I simply wanted to shrink to nothing and crawl under his desk.

"Lover?" Edward seethed.

"It's just something he calls me." I replied.

"And there's not reason behind it?" And I watched him sniff the air. I could have just punched him, but then I'd have hurt myself.

"Screw you, Edward! What, do you think I'm some kind of whore?" I walked up to him and got right in his face.

"Back away from the strange looking boy, Bella. He isn't safe." Pam called.

"Pam, this is Edward, my boyfriend…I think…?" I just shook my head. Even though I remembered everything I was so freaking confused.

"Let me see your hand, Bella." Eric was totally oblivious to the whole situation, he just didn't give a shit. I wish I had that attitude, because having a Jerry Springer melt down with vampires wasn't on my list of things to EVER do. So I just turned from the two vampires glaring at each other and showed Eric my hand. I was actually shocked to see that it was completely healed except for a thin white scar.

"Hey! That's so awesome!" I exclaimed and Eric chuckled.

"Yes, it is. Now that I know you're well we can deal with this little annoyance." He grinned and I melted a little. He was not kidding about libido. And then Edward began snarling.

"What the hell, Edward?" I snapped. "Seriously, this was not how I envisioned our reunion, at all." That seemed to calm him down a little.

"Love, I'm sorry. I just heard you were alone with this…man…and I wasn't sure if you were safe, and when this woman wouldn't let me in to see you I couldn't handle it." He brooded. I used to think that was cute and endearing, now I just saw it as a ploy.

"This MAN is Eric and this WOMAN is Pam. They're the two who found me and saved me from death, Edward. You should be thanking them, not trying to hurt them." I seethed. "Besides, you weren't even going to come to me, remember? It might be too dangerous or some shit."

"Bella!" I know he was pissed that I used 'foul language' but I didn't care. This was who I was and if he didn't like it, too bad.

"Don't 'Bella' me! I swear to God, Edward…" I pinched the bridge of my nose trying to calm down. Everything seemed clearer, louder, sharper… My senses were heightened to capacity and I was trying to control my feelings about that, not to mention trying not to scream my head off at Edward. "It wasn't even a thought to come to you in Italy, what the hell is the difference here?"

"We can't be seen…" He began and I clenched my fists and clenched my teeth. Eric, feeling my anger, squeezed my shoulder and I suddenly wondered if Jasper was in the room. But, then I recognized it as Eric somehow calming me down. I smiled and thought thankful thoughts. Perhaps I could do the same now.

"Please, Edward is it? Come sit so that we can have an adult conversation. Pam, collect Sookie." Eric smiled and he led me over to where his desk was. There was a couch and two chairs before it. He sat at his desk and I sat in a chair closest to his desk. Edward sat across from me on the couch looking dejected. "Explain this to me, Bella."

"This is Edward, my boyfriend from back home. Remember I told you I only remember him leaving me? Well, he had, but we were passed that by the time I was taken from Forks. The Volturi, their like the vampire royalty - at least his kind of vamp - kidnapped me for leverage. They wanted Alice and Edward to join their ranks."

"When we got just outside of Bon Temps I was allowed to get out at a gas station and I ran, that night - after I had been out for a while - you found me at the bottom of that cliff. I hadn't remembered anything until very recently, and when I finally collected everything I emailed Edward. He called but explained that he couldn't risk his family and that I should fly home immediately. But, I didn't want to…" I blushed and bit my lip.

"You didn't want to go back to your family and boyfriend?" Eric asked. I looked at him and shook my head.

"I wasn't done spending time with all of you. I'm happy here, Eric. Happier here than in Forks with all the rain and snow. And so, I guess, I got conflicted. Why wouldn't I jump at the chance to head home right away to be with the guy I love? But at the same time, why would he even question coming to me? I never did. And I went to my death!" I cried.

"Bella, love, don't cry." Edward sighed.

"Bella has every right to cry if she wants, you can't order her about." Eric snapped and passed me another handkerchief. I thanked him and blotted my eyes. "But, you are ruining your pretty face, lover." I snorted all ugly like because I tried not to laugh and my nose was all runny from crying.

"He's not ordering me, Eric. He hates to see me cry." I corrected, but I didn't scold him because I found it endearing that he even cared.

"Are you two blood bonded?" Eric asked and I looked at Edward and back to Eric.

"No, it's not like that." I replied. "He…well he doesn't bleed. And he doesn't have fangs, so if he were to bite me he'd spread venom and I'd change."

"Excuse me? The next thing you're going to tell me is that he has wings! He sounds like…" He cut himself off as Sookie and Pam entered the office.

"Bella?" Sookie called concerned. She headed over to me, pulling the other chair over to me to hold my hand. Pam rolled her eyes and took a seat next to Edward on the couch.

"It's OK." I smiled and patted her hand with my free one.

"Why is she leaking?" Pam asked sounding angry and concerned all at the same time.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Your eyes… Why are you leaking? Did this shit make you leak?" She snarled, her fangs extended, this caused Eric's to do the same thing.

"Yes, he did, Pam." Eric answered for me. "And I don't appreciate this."

"This is none of your concern. This is between Bella and myself. Come, Bella, we should be on our way. The rest of the family are waiting at the hotel. We can catch a red eye if you hurry." Edward held his hand out and I slapped it away, crying harder. He winced and stared at me in awe. "That…hurt…?"

"Fuck off, Edward! I told you on the phone I wasn't going to just up and leave. What makes you think I'm about to do that now? Do you even listen to me?" I shouted. It was done now. I was beyond pissed, I was bordering on a thermal nuclear break down. "These are good people! And I'm enjoying myself here! I can be myself here, hell, they even accepted me when I wasn't myself. You wouldn't even come to me when I asked!"

"Isabella Marie… You're irrational right now, I need you to calm down, love. I don't know what he has done to you, but it's time to go home." Edward said through clenched teeth.

"What do you mean, what he did to me? He hasn't done anything to me that I haven't asked for. And if you mean mind tricks…you're sorely mistaken. It doesn't work on me, remember?" I was disgusting. Tears and snot everywhere, the handkerchief was useless at this point so I started using my hands and forearms to clear the liquids off of my face. "He gave me his blood to heal my hand that I hurt accidentally. It was a little infected, OK? This is the second time I've had his blood. The first time saved me from death. He hasn't bitten me, so get that disgusted look off of your face."

"He's just pissy because he can't bleed, so you can't tear into his flesh and drink his blood from his dead veins. He's jealous that such a deliciously sensuous act can't be shared between the two of you, but it can be with some other - BETTER - vampire." Pam lit a fire. Edward's eyes flared and he stood, melting into an attack stance. I rolled my eyes and moaned, this was so aggravating and exhausting.

"What the fuck is that?" Eric asked pointing a finger at Edward and raising an eyebrow.

"I believe…that is what is called Karate?" Pam replied.

"You look like a tool." Eric sighed, sitting back in his chair.

"Perhaps he is in the beginning stages of the dance from that Michael Jackson song… What is it called? Oh, yes, Thriller." Pam smiled and nodded, proud of herself.

Edward growled at her.

"How adorable, Master, he sounds like a kitten!" Pam giggled.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…" I whined. Eric growled at him and I nearly jumped out of my chair. And here I thought I've heard a vampire growl. Wrong! "MOTHER FUCKER!"

"BELLA!" Edward hissed.

"What? It fucking scared me!" I snapped.

"BELLA, language!" He frowned.

"I like it. It's sexy, lover. Please, don't stop on my account." Eric grinned, fangs still out.

"Seriously, can we stop this crap? Everybody sit the hell down!" I screamed. Pam and Eric sat, Edward sat defiantly and I took a deep breath.

"You just had to ask, doll, we don't need to scream about it." Pam smiled. I was literally going to go insane.

"Bella, I love you, more than life itself. I had to make sure we would all be safe if I came here. It's possible we're being watched by the Volturi. They have to find you somehow. They won't just give up. I couldn't endanger you like that. If you're not comfortable going home we can go anywhere you want. We can stay here if you'd like. Of course we'd have to find a more secluded home so we aren't risking being seen in the day time, but we can figure something out." Edward went off on a tangent, but then Eric stopped him.

"Risk being seen in the day time? You can be out during the day?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course." Edward looked smug now. But, that wouldn't last long. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know where this was headed.

"And if you can be in the day light and you have no fangs how is it that you'd be at risk?" Eric questioned. Edward frowned. He hated this part about him more than any other part. I figured it was because it was embarrassing for the guys. I thought it was super pretty, but let's be real. What would be the most emasculating thing you could do to a vampire man? Yeah, I thought so…

"I can't share all of our secrets, Eric." Edward grumbled.

"That is Sheriff or Mr. Northman to you." Eric snapped. I tried not to grin. I didn't know this specific fact, and I'd ask later, but that was cool. "And, yes, do tell, Edward."

"No." He stood his ground. Pam raised an eyebrow. Suddenly Sookie started giggling. I looked at her, my eyes wide. She had seen it in my head and she had the info. Someone was going to have to share, especially since Eric was bound to know that the three of us knew exactly the information he wanted.

"Sookie, dear, what is so funny? Care to share?" Eric grinned. Sookie looked at me and I shook my head slightly. "Bella?"

"Shit…" I grumbled. "Edward just freaking tell him so we can move on? Unlike the three of you I am aging…"

"Our skin is like prisms under the shine of the sun." Edward said. Leave it to Edward to find the one single way to keep it from being completely embarrassing.

"So…" Pam looked at Edward, then at me and then pressed her fingers to her lips, hiding an enormous grin.

"You sparkle?" Eric asked, trying to keep his cool.

"Like…Like a… Oh Christ, Bella! I can't, I'm sorry!" Pam burst out laughing. And, unfortunately, so did I. I'm almost positive it was insanity and not because something was funny or not. But Edward wasn't pleased.

"You sparkle like a fucking fairy?" Eric finally barked out through his laughter. If Edward could blush it would be now.

"Bella…" His face fell and his eyes looked so hurt I sobered up instantly.

"Edward, I am really sorry! I didn't mean to laugh…" I apologized, feeling terrible even though he was being kind of a douche.

"Perhaps it was a mistake coming here." He sighed and he grabbed my hand and kissed it. "I shared everything with you, and yes, I do love you. But, you're not the Bella I remember." And suddenly he was gone, the office door hung wide open.


	12. Mash Up: Everyone Whines Sometimes

_A/N: This is sort of a mash up chapter. A few different POV's. But, I think it's necessary for chapters to come. I hope you enjoy. And I hope this starts to give a little insight on Edward and Eric as people._

_Thanks again for all of the AMAZING reviews! Honestly, they make my day! One of you even said this is one of your faves right now. Can I say CHEESE SMILE! _

* * *

**BPOV**

So, I wasn't exactly sure what had just happened over the last hour, but I was sure it was not good. At all. Eric, Pam, and Sookie were all looking at me like I had cancer or something and I didn't really feel much of anything. I sort of felt like I was in a bubble under water, where I knew that something should be touching me, affecting me, making it hard to breathe, but my little bubble was keeping me from feeling anything.

I knew that was wrong.

"Bella, I'm sorry." Sookie sighed and patted my hand, bouncing right off of my mind bubble. I just looked at her and nodded.

"He was being an ass." Pam assured, but that didn't really do anything for me either. I knew Edward was being stupid, that wasn't really anything new, so I just nodded again. There was another knock of the office door, and stupidly I turned to see if it was Edward coming back. Why would he? I mean, really? I sort of just laughed at him. I'd be pissed off, too, if I was being honest. But no, here stood someone who I bet Edward would get along with really well. Bill.

"Sookie, I was worried about you. I called you at least ten times and you didn't answer me." Bill brooded. He actually sort of looked in pain, but I shrugged. He was just a tool.

"Nice to see you, too, Bill." Pam scoffed and Sookie tsked as she got up and left the room with Bill, Pam followed. I turned back around in my seat and sighed. The backs of my hands were streaked with eye liner and mascara and my nose was stuffy. I'm sure my face looked like hell from crying and my eyes were probably all puffy and gross. Yet, I still couldn't care less.

"Bella, are you going to be alright?" Eric asked. His voice kind of started putting little cracks in my emotional bubble. Of course it could have been the whole blood thing, too. So, instead of nodding or moving at all, I just sniffled. "Come here." I went to stand up and Eric was there in front of me holding out his hand. Normally this sort of thing would have still been shocking to me, the way he just pops up places, but it didn't this time. When I grabbed his hand he pulled me into him and nearly crushed me to his chest, effectively shattering the numbness that surrounded me. My knees gave out and I clung to him as I cracked. I wasn't sure if I was crying or laughing or both. All I knew was that I was shaking and tired and hurt. "My goodness, lover, you have more pain inside of you than I would have thought possible. I'll take you home."

"No! I don't want to go home!" I shouted. "Home has nothing for me anymore."

"I meant Sookie's, Bella." He chuckled and I sniffed. "Home."

**EPOV**

I ran, which was probably not the smartest thing to have done. I left my car in the parking lot of that god awful place and reached the pathetic excuse for a Sheridan hotel where Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose were. I didn't want to think about what Rosalie would be saying - or thinking - when I returned. I was already so angry and hurt. How could this happen? It was as if my Bella died when the Volturi took her and this Bella was her ghost, her shell.

When I got up to the room Alice was the only one there. We had rented their Presidential Suite which was like a two bedroom condo with over plushed furniture in horrible drab colors. Alice was just sitting there on the couch, patting the spot next to her, ready to listen. Or at least just be there. She was truly the best sister and friend I could ask for. I owed her one major apology.

"Accepted." She smiled and I smirked. I sat down next to her and sighed. For once in a very long time I felt exhausted. "So, it didn't go well? I only saw blurs of things. It seemed like a lot of things weren't necessarily decided upon there, Edward. So, that's got to mean something right?"

"Thanks, but… Alice, I think I've ruined everything." I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated.

"Start from the beginning little brother." She smiled. I took a deep breath and began.

I told her all of it. From the moment I arrived, to Pam, to the large man holding onto my Bella. I told her about the blood and the insinuation that they had begun some sort of strange relationship. I told her about Sookie, who seemed like a sweet girl. I told her about how Bella felt, about what she said, and then I sighed. "Alice, she thinks we don't love her. She thinks she was just some sort of pet. She can't understand why we didn't just come running."

"She'll understand soon enough, let's just hope it's not after she meets with the Volturi again." Alice grumbled. My eyes got wide and I stood.

"What do you mean by that, Alice?" I snapped.

"Cool it, OK? Look, you and I both knew what this would bring if we came down here. Aro wasn't going to waste his time sending a search party. He was going to wait for us to find her and he was going to wait for us to point out her location to him ourselves. That's why I didn't want to just rush out here. I wish she'd stop being so self conscience. She _is_ beautiful, she _is_ smart, and she _is_ loved. We can only tell her that so much before she has to figure it out herself. Maybe if I go talk to her?" Alice said. I knew that she was right, I knew that we did this to protect Bella, and I knew that because we arrived here we'd have a swarm of Italian vampires in our midst soon. I just hated hearing it out loud.

"I think maybe if you wait? Of course, you're the future seer." I plopped back down on the couch and closed my eyes. I watched as Alice searched. Bella wouldn't be happy to see her tonight. In fact, she'd already have someone there to comfort her. I hated that bleeder, but if he was making her feel better…

"Stop it! You're fogging up my line of vision." Alice snapped and she resumed her search. It would be better if she went over to see her tomorrow morning.

"The Town car is at the bar…" I mumbled.

"Where do you think the rest of us went? I saw you leaving it and I sent them off to pick it up. I'll take it in the morning. Hopefully we can get this stuff straightened out."

"What do you see if I leave her here, Alice?" I asked, barely above a whisper. Alice frowned at me.

"That, little brother, I'm not going to look for, because you're not going to. Do you understand me? You will not try and 'keep her safe' again. I told you then that it wouldn't end well, do you think it will be different a second time around? You're lucky she forgave you the first damn time." Alice was off. I held up a hand.

"Well, I don't think she really, truly did forgive me Alice. But, that's fine. You're right. I'll stay." I tried to smile.

"But, Edward…" She pressed and I raised an eyebrow. "If she asks you to leave, listen to her."

**PPOV**

I needed to find that strange vampire creature called Edward. But first, I had to get rid of Bill. Honestly, I had almost had what I wanted before this little human disaster zone entered our lives. Sookie was starting to get tired of Bill and Eric was carrying his Sookie Stackhouse torch more out in the open. It was a beautiful thing, but then Bella happened.

Don't get me wrong, please, Bella is a sweet little human child. She sort of reminded me of myself when I was human. But Sookie belonged with Eric, period. Eric hadn't had an interest in as long as I had known him. He had a lot of meals (take that any way you want to), but he never had a girl he truly cared for before. Not like Sookie. But now he seemed to be taken by Bella.

I should just be happy that he's happy with someone, but I'm not. Bella is too young for him. Not that Sookie doesn't present quite the age gap (mid twenties compared to his 1,000 years), but they look better together. Eric can pass for thirty, Bella is eighteen. That's sort of taboo now a days. Why would I want more attention drawn to us than there already is? Besides, have I said I like Sookie with Eric better yet?

But at the moment I was sitting at a table with Sookie and Bill. I really, really hate Bill.

"Sookie, I don't know why you have to spend so much time with these two. You work at a bar, why spend your spare time at one?" Bill asked brushing his thin thumb over Sookie's sun kissed hand. I rolled my eyes.

"What's wrong with Fangtasia, Bill?" I asked, bored.

"I just don't think it's a place for my Sookie." He puffed out his chest like he was somebody.

"Sookie, I suppose I won't be seeing you anymore…" I pouted. Why not cause trouble? As I said, I really, really hate Bill.

"Oh, he can't tell me what to do." Sookie laughed and then looked at Bill. "I'm serious."

I needed to find something better to do, like stake myself.

**ENPOV**

I parked my corvette outside of Sookie's house and smiled at Bella who was asleep against the door. I scooped her out of her seat and walked her up to the door and quietly opened it, walking her to her room. When I laid her down on the bed she stirred. "Why hello!" I smiled.

"Ugh, I fell asleep?" She rubbed her eyes and stretched. She was beautiful.

"Seems so." My smile grew wider and she blushed. She got off the bed and headed to the bathroom. "Where are you headed?"

"To the shower." She yawned.

"I'll be on my way, then." I nodded. She spun quickly, her eyes pleading and her hands out.

"No, please… I promise not to take too long. Stay with me for a little while?" She begged.

"How can I say no? I can stay in Sookie's little closet hidey-hole if you'd like me to be near through the night. But I'll be there all day."

"If you don't mind." She blushed. Instantly I was before her wrapping her in my arms.

"Anything for you, Bella." I kissed her hair and stood there as she walked into the bathroom. I noticed her shorts and tank on the dresser and knocked on the door. She eeped as I cracked the door open. "My eyes are closed, you forgot these."

"Thanks." She mumbled.

While I waited for her to finish in the bathroom. And that was quite difficult knowing that she was simply on the other side of the wall, naked and wet. I stood near the window just staring out. I had a lot of work to do. Tomorrow night I would find out exactly who these Volturi vampires were and I would do more research on the Cullens. Bella wasn't leaving here until I knew she was completely safe.

And even then I didn't really want her to go.

"OK, I'm ready for bed!" Bella had a grin on her face, I could hear it. When I spun to see her I held in a slight intake of breath. Her hair was wet and slightly wavy. Her skin was an amazing porcelain. The woman needed no makeup, she was a stunning, timeless beauty. But her eyes didn't hold that smile she wore. Her eyes held pain, heavy pain.

"Come." I smiled as I laid on one side of the bed. She grinned at me, this time the smile hitting her deep chocolate eyes. She curled in under the covers and I wrapped my arm around her. "Good night, lover."

I could feel her heart skip and the heat rush to her skin from her blush and she giggled. "Good night, Eric." She replied and nearly instantly she was asleep.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell. I sent Pam a text that I would be here all night, and then I sent her another to begin our recon. Bella would be safe, Sookie would be safe, Pam would be safe, Area Five would be safe. And I didn't promise anything lightly. I promised things on my life.

**BPOV**

I dreamed that I was standing in the Volturi throne room and before me was Aro, Edward, and Eric. Aro told me that I had to choose between the two, that I couldn't have both. But if I chose Edward he could come with me, if I chose Eric and left, Edward would have to stay with them. I couldn't decide what was right. I loved Edward, so much, and I couldn't imagine him having to be stuck with the coven he absolutely detested, but… I cared for Eric a lot, too. And if I didn't choose him Aro didn't tell me what would happen to him. I couldn't just leave him and expect him to be sent home. And I couldn't imagine that Aro would want an ancient vampire in his coven who wasn't really of his kind who had such a dominant personality. I couldn't leave him there to die.

And what about how they treated me? Eric was selfless in the way he was with me. He healed me twice now, and made me laugh when I honestly didn't think I could. He made me feel comfortable and safe, and he did all of it without a thought, and without strings attached.

Edward, well, he did a lot for me. He saved me from James, he doted on me completely. He loved me, whole heartedly. But when things got scary he was ready to run, ready to 'protect me' from his family by taking everything I loved and new away from me. Knowing Eric, he'd just probably get rid of the threat before ever thinking of deserting me. But, to be fair I really didn't know Eric very well.

And though I knew that Edward loved me and that I loved him, standing here in this throne room, looking back and forth between them I couldn't decide.

So I left them both.


	13. Decisions, Decisions

_A/N: So there's lots of dialog in here. I'm adding someone to the story line that I had thought of for a second, but wasn't sure about until a reader suggested it in a few of her reviews. I can't help it, she's made it sound more and more fun! Thanks to Vampir3.S3duction. _

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**BPOV**

In the morning I stretched and sat up with a silent gasp. The bed was empty! And then I realized that Eric had to go in the closet once the sun began to rise. I had a strange urge to see what he looked like, exactly, while he slept. Would he look dead dead? I had to know, so I crept over to the closet and was about to pull the door open when there was a knock on mine. Can I say I jumped right out of my skin?

"Bella, there's someone here to see you." Sookie called from the other side of my door. It had to be a Cullen. I just wondered which one. I sighed and went to the door.

"Hey, can't you just send them away?" I asked dryly. Sookie just gaped at me. "Oh, right, Southern hospitality and stuff. I'll be down in a minute."

I went to the dresser and ran a brush through my hair. I noticed then that it had seemed to have grown a few inches and it had only been a few days. Eric's blood was pretty cool! After I pulled it up in a pony tail I headed down to see who was at the door. When I entered the kitchen there was breakfast cooking and Alice was sitting at the kitchen table. I froze in the doorway.

"Bella." Alice nodded. She looked a little sullen, which was fine by me. Her family played me. I didn't move from my spot.

"Bella, she's talking to you." Sookie scolded. I looked at her and pouted. I wasn't going to snap at her, but I really didn't want to talk to her. I sighed and had an internal tantrum and moved to sit across from Alice at the table. Sookie set down a glass of orange juice for me and smiled. Ugh, why was she so awesome?

"Hi, Alice." I mumbled into my drink. I couldn't look at her right. She was supposed to be like a sister to me and she was acting just like Edward. I was nearly positive if I were to see Carlisle or Esme I'd completely go insane. Betrayal, that was what I felt more than any other emotion right now. I had been betrayed.

"Bella, let me start by apologizing." She sighed. She looked so much littler to me now. Her skin so much paler, especially her face since her raven choppy hair contrasted against it so harshly. She was wearing jeans and a long sleeved white cotton shirt. Her bug eye sunglasses perched on top of her head.

"It's like eighty degrees, Alice. You don't want to stick out? What's with the outfit?" I asked after Sookie placed bacon and eggs in front of me. "Sookie, seriously? You're awesome!" I allowed her a huge smile, but wiped it off of my face before I looked back at Alice.

"You're welcome, Bella!" Sookie smiled. She was a genuine person. If I pissed her off I'd know, if I made her happy, I'd know, and so on. And knowing that I could be myself - the self I never really knew - and she didn't judge filled my heart to the brim.

"You know if someone saw me…" Alice began but I glared at her.

"Why are you here?" I snapped. "What are you here to accomplish?"

"Bella!" Sookie exclaimed sitting next to me. "She is a guest!"

"Yeah, well, you'll see why I'm so pissed by the end of this, I'm sure." I grumbled and then felt like an asshole. "Sorry, Sook."

"It's OK. I just hate to see you so mean. It does nothing for that pretty face of yours." She patted my cheek and I smiled. Alice looked like she could cry. I smiled wider. Who was this mean, vindictive bitch coming out of me? I didn't even really like it. I made a mental note to keep it in check.

"Lets start over, Alice. What brings you here?" I asked, less venom in my voice.

"I know how terrible we must seem to you, Bella. I've asked so much from you in the past and when you ask for something we have to think about it. It must make you feel like we don't even care. We do! We love you so much that we don't want to do anything that could risk your safety. I saw that if we came here the Volturi wouldn't be far behind and knowing that you've found wonderful friends… That just added to my concern. I - we - don't want anything to happen to you again, or your new friends. But, mad or not you have to give me time to explain. You're in danger, Bella. They're not going to just give up." Alice started to explain and it sounded so much like what Edward tried to say and so much like her email that I was really getting tired of re-runs.

"Alice, if the Volturi were never going to give up, then what was the worry? Eventually they would have come back to Forks, or retraced their steps. They will find me when they want to. Not to mention, this never would have happened had Edward changed me when he was supposed to!" I snapped. "But, really, I'm kind of glad he didn't because seeing how things are going now I'm not sure that was the right choice for me. Especially since there are two different kinds of vampire. Maybe I want to be like Eric!" Ok, so that was harsh and childish. So I stopped talking.

"You're so sure we don't love you…" Alice sighed. Her eyes started blinking like she was fighting back tears that would never come.

"You've made that easy. Edward leaves me in the woods, not after the whole family goes away without even a good bye. And then you come back just to save Edward, to which I can't stop myself from diving head first into danger. But then… Then they let us go in the presumption that you'll all change me and he doesn't. He does everything in his power to keep me human…" Alice held her hand up to cut me off.

"Silly or not, you know why." She sighed.

"Fuck that! My soul, really? Who cares? He just doesn't know if he'll want me forever, that's all. This is all after I just forgive him. I honestly think Edward is an addiction. You all are." I cried.

"If he didn't love you he wouldn't have given you everything you wanted on your birthday, Bella. Everything…" She eyed me and the small bit that I must have refused to remember came back to me, hitting me like a shotgun blast. I curled up into myself on the chair, making myself as small as I could to try and hide away from all of it. "That's right, Bella. We love you, more than you can ever imagine…"

"More than I can imagine? So, when you all left me there alone for my protection your chest broke open and spilled to the ground? You became catatonic? You were nearly shipped to the asylum? You heard voices and flung yourself off of a cliff just to feel something? Huh, I hadn't known that…" I snapped bitterly.

"Bella, in my defense, I told him not to do that to you." She said. I just looked at her.

"So, I shouldn't be mad at all of you, just Edward?" I asked.

"You should have a conversation with us before you judge, Bells. See where we're coming from before judging. I never thought you were like that. What has happened to you? Have we hurt you that badly where you can't trust us at all anymore?" Alice cried. I almost thought I saw tears streaming down her face, but that was just my imagination.

"Fine. So who do you think I am? Describe Bella." I sat back and started in on my bacon. One thing I figured out about Bella was that she liked comfort food. That could be bad…

"Bella is smart and beautiful. She's funny and creative, and she's so much older and wiser for her eighteen short years. She likes to see Edward smile, and she wants nothing more than for him to prove to her that he loves her because she will never accept that perhaps she is exactly what he wants for the rest of his existence. I think Bella has a real bad habit of putting herself down so much that she starts to believe it whole heartedly which then causes her to not believe anyone who tells her different. But, the scary part is this new Bella is angry, violently angry. That doesn't bode well for the old Bella." Alice replied, looking down at her hands. "And I don't care what Bella I get, I just want you in my life!"

Alice was right. Shit. I had lost my memory and when it came back - much quicker than expected, which was good - it came back wrong. I had believed I was still going through the time when he left me. I didn't have to be a psychologist to realize I was still holding a major grudge.

And now that I remember - in great detail - my birthday when I got my necklace and when Edward finally made love to me something inside of me twitched. I had to go about this differently. "Alright, tonight…you work, right Sookie?" I asked.

"Yes I do, I won't be home until late." She smiled.

"And Eric is in my closet…" I blushed.

"Bella!" Sookie laughed and I blushed even deeper.

"I just couldn't be alone last night. He laid with me I guess until he had to go hide. I'll have to thank him." I bit my bottom lip. "I want both Eric and Edward here tonight. I think I'm going to start dating…"

"Bella! No!" Alice groaned.

"If Edward loves me the way he says he does he's going to have to love the 'new' Bella. And the 'new' Bella curses, eats bad food, laughs at the wrong things, and hangs out with girls and guys. Period. Also, she may never want to return to Forks…" The last part was becoming more and more true as the hours went by.

* * *

After Alice had left and Sookie had gone to work I was alone in the house, but not so much since Eric was hiding away. It felt safer knowing that he was there, even if he was unaware of anything that was going on.

I decided to change into one of my new outfits. I wore jean shorts and a red tank since it was so warm out. Sookie seriously needed central air. Although, with all the windows open and the fans going there was a nice cross breeze. I ended up putting my hair in a messy knot so it was completely off of my neck. I had made some fresh squeezed lemonade and thought about baking cookies, but it was too warm. I was now sitting there with nothing better to do than play on the computer. I toyed with the idea of emailing Charlie, but I knew if I did he'd be down here on the next flight. I wanted him to know I was safe, but I wanted more time without another person telling me what to do.

And if the Volturi was coming I didn't want him to get false hope in case the worst case scenario occurred and I never made it out alive. I couldn't think like that or I'd get all depressed and I had more important things to do. Edward would be over soon and Eric would be up and around soon after that.

Just thinking about them made me all nervous and giddy. I knew that I loved Edward, whether he deserved it or not. And I knew that I cared for Eric, but I wondered if that was just some kind of hero thing. Like, did I only care about him the way I did because he saved me and treated me all sweet? Did it really seem all that bad if that was the case?

And then I went even further in my thinking. Edward had evil rulers. Would I ever really be safe - vampire or human - with the Volturi always breathing down our necks? I wondered if Eric had to deal with rulers like that. I needed to learn more about my new vampire friend.

Also, the change - because I did want to be a vampire - which would be less painful? Or which kind would be more powerful? And if I wanted to be like Eric would Edward be OK with me having to be dead during the day? Would I want to be if I chose Edward?

I had way too many damn questions to make a good, educated decision yet. Whatever happened to a normal life? But had I ever had a normal life? Even before Edward?

My thoughts were interrupted, probably a good thing, when there was a knock on the door. I thought I knew who it was, but I snuck a peek before opening it. There stood Edward in jeans that fit him just right and a grey t-shirt. His hair - as always - looked a lot like sex hair but it worked so well for him. But that wasn't what made me nibble my bottom lip. It was the look of worry and uncertainty on his face. Not the anger I thought I would see there. I was totally an asshole.

I pulled the door open and his honey eyes slowly made their way to mine shamefully. I could just cry. "First of all, I am so sorry for laughing last night." I blurted. He held up a hand and a ghost of a grin passed his face.

"You had been through a lot." He replied.

"Want to come in? Or do you want to sit out here?" I asked.

"It is nice out tonight. We could swing." He said and pointed to said swing. I headed outside, leaving the door open and we sat.

"Just to let you know, Eric is here resting for the day. I…didn't want to be alone last night…" I felt kind of ashamed to admit that to my boyfriend. But, I wouldn't lie to him.

"I understand." He said. He sounded pretty broken and I realized I had done that to him. How could I break such a beautiful angel? And then I remembered some of the stupid shit he had said and done. I guess people were going to get hurt in situations like this. I sighed.

"Thanks for coming, and I mean that about coming in general. I just wish… I wish it wouldn't have been a question, no matter what, you know?" I said.

"You know I have never been good when it comes to worrying about you. I tend to choose wrong." He smiled sheepishly.

"Yes, you do. And I don't think I really forgave you completely. I think… I think I need more from you before I let my guard down again. Do you understand?" I asked, turning to him. "And, now that I've met these wonderful people… There's a lot of questions I have that I think only I can really answer. I've never felt more alive, more myself than I do here."

"Bella, I will give you all the time you need. And I'll be here the whole time, unless you ask me to go." He vowed.

"Great! Now this is so much harder…" I laughed nervously.

"There you are, lover!" Eric came outside with only his jeans on. I'm sure my face was a little inappropriately pleasantly surprised. "Ah, Twinkle Toes is here."

"Eric!" I scolded. He laughed.

"I am sorry, Bella. I was wondering if we could speak." He really didn't care that Edward was here. I thought it was just concern last night, but this proved it. He felt he was more important than anyone. I had to admit it was equally annoying and sexy.

"I would love to, but I have something to say real quick to both of you." I said. He nodded. "Until I decide what's right for me I'm single. I'm a single woman who's open to dating, but I won't commit to anyone or anything until this cluster fuck of a situation is straightened out."

"Bella…" Edward groaned.

"Do you feel better now?" Eric grinned. The bastard knew I did, it felt super freeing to say that. I scowled at him, half smiling though.

"I do, thank you." I nodded.

"Good, than can I get you to come to Fangtasia with me. I've made some phone calls and there's someone who would really like to meet you." He replied.

"Who could be more important than this conversation I'm trying to have right now, Eric?" I sighed. Men, they were so…so… Men!

"My maker." Eric replied. I had nothing to say to that.


	14. Swedish Is Sexy When Discussing My Death

_A/N: I am a terrible person aren't I? I've kept you all waiting way too long for another installment of this. I should be punished. Edward? Godric? Eric? Any of you interested? Anyway, thank you for hanging on for the last few weeks, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. And don't fret, there is a translation below at the end of this story for the Swedish. Let me know what you think, I love reviews!_

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I couldn't believe that Eric acted that way in front of Edward, and I couldn't believe I just dumped my almost fiancé to 'find myself'. Where the hell was my old self? It seemed so much less complicated than this self. Granted, my old self just sat around and bidded to all the Cullen's wishes and nearly got killed like a hundred times, but it seemed easier then.

Now I wasn't so sure. I knew I loved Edward and his family, but there was something about Eric and Sookie, and even the rest of her people that tugged at my heart strings. Even that snarky Pam was pretty awesome. Could I really have my cake and eat it, too? Was that really fair? Was something terrible going to happen to me because I basically drop kicked my good karma to the moon?

"Eric… I was having a conversation just then." I sighed, again reminding him of how rude he was.

"And I have a very old vampire waiting at my bar for us to arrive. I'm sure Edward understands." Eric nodded to him, finally really acknowledging him. Edward sighed and stood.

"How about dinner tomorrow night, Bella?" Edward tried to act nonchalant and smiled at me. I bit my bottom lip and nodded. "Good, until then." He swooped in and took my hand, pressing his lips to it and instantly he was gone.

"That was theatrical." Eric quirked an eyebrow as he stared off, probably in the direction that Edward ran off to. "He's also watching us from the woods."

"Oh, come on! Seriously?" I whined.

"Would you like me to have him removed?" He grinned, fangs out. I smacked myself in the forehead. "Please, do not hurt yourself."

"Am I dressed appropriately for the meeting of your maker?" I asked, ignoring his latest comments.

"You look lovely. Shall we?" He motioned towards his car. I nodded and closed the door before heading to his car. I was barely buckled in before he was flying down Hummingbird and off to Fangtasia.

It was quiet for the majority of the ride, he had the radio on to some local station and I had time to try and think. I felt a little empty not being in a relationship with Edward anymore, but I felt a little fulfilled knowing that I was able to figure stuff out without the pressure of others. At least, I thought so anyway. Perhaps I was just very naïve. I had also come to the conclusion that I'd probably have a bit of a break down when this was all said and done. I wasn't aware of any other time in my life where I had so much drama going on over such a long period of time.

My musing was cut short by Eric pulling into the lot of his bar. We went around back and into his office, bypassing the bar all together. When we entered a very pretty boy of maybe sixteen, and about Sookie's height was standing in the middle of the room. He wore what looked like desert garb. It was white, light weight, and flowing. Perhaps something I'd see in ancient Roman times as well. At least, when they wore clothing. He also - oddly enough - wore his brown hair in a more Caesar-like hair style. His face was so welcoming. The smile and his dancing eyes greeted me and I felt more comfortable than I had in days just looking at him. This couldn't POSSIBLY be Eric's maker. Just by looking at them I could tell they were complete opposites.

"Min son har det varit för lång." I had absolutely no idea what he said. But, whatever. I just couldn't stop smiling at him.

"Godric har det. Detta är det mänskliga jag berättade om. Det här är Bella." Eric bowed. OK, now I heard my name, now I was getting a little wary.

"Hi." I smiled, assuming he was introducing me. Eric looked at me strange and I realized he probably thought I understood whatever it was they were speaking so I shook my head. "I heard my name in there somewhere, I guessed you were talking about me."

"Ah, I am sorry, Bella. Seeing Godric brings back old memories, along with old world language. Please forgive my behavior." He tilted his head at me in a small bow, but unless he actually BOWED it wasn't going to look that way since he was six foot, five.

"Oh, no! It's OK, Eric. I'm sorry for jumping in." I blushed. I had no right to speak, I didn't even know the protocol for something like this.

"Eric, har du generad det vackra barnet. Du verkar vara fascinerad med henne, känner jag en värme där. Är det något du vill berätta för mig, min son?" Godric smiled. "Hello, Bella. It is a pleasure, my name is Godric." He bowed to me and I cursteyed, or at least I thought that's what I was doing, back.

"Hon är vacker, och jag vill göra henne min. Det är komplicerat." Eric replied and then went on. "Bella is in a spot of trouble that I wasn't sure how to go about protecting her from. Have you heard of vampires that do not sleep, do not have fangs, and who...glow in the sunlight?"

Godric seemed to perk up to this. "I have heard rumors of such creatures, in fact, I have seen one. A little over a thousand years ago, while I was in Italy."

_Italy. The Volturi. Shit!_

"What is the matter, Bella? You seem stressed." Eric whispered to me. I just looked at him and then back at Godric.

"What...what was this vampire's name?" I barely spoke audibly at all. Was there a chance that we were all tied together long before I even knew about Vampires? Was Fate just that fucking mean?

"His name was Aro, I believe. He took his name from the city he resided. Voterra, I think. He had red eyes, long black hair, and an aire about him that suggested he was quiet powerful and possibly in charge of something. We came to blows over territory which caused me to travel to the Nordic country. This being where I found Eric." He smiled so sweetly you wouldn't have known he was a killer.

"Oh my god in heaven." I slumped down on Eric's desk, it was hard to breathe, and the room was spinning.

"Have I said something wrong?" Godric looked frightened for me and Eric scooped me up in his arms where I felt minutely better.

"Aro, Aro Volturi, Eric. The Volturi? The ones who came for me, who tried to kill the Cullens and me, the ones who will be coming back for me? Ring a bell?" I snapped, and then I felt terrible. "I'm sorry."

"Yes, Aro Volturi, and there was a Caius and Marcus as well, no?" Godric mused. I wasn't in the mood to walk down this memory lane.

"What are they if they aren't just regular vampires? I'd really like to know who's about to kill me. See, Edward, my...ex... was supposed to change me when we got back from Italy a few months ago and he hasn't. Basically because he's worried about my soul or whatever, and Aro found out about it. Actually, Aro just wants Edward and his sister to himself, so that's why he had me kidnapped and that's why I ended up here, and they're going to come looking for me soon." Was I even making sense? Had I finally lost my mind completely?

"I am really not sure, but a lot of their physical traits seem to mimick that of the Fae." Godric explained. Sort of.

"What?" I hiccuped.

"The Fae, they can have poisonous venom, glowing skin, and glamours that draw in their prey. Usually they don't show themselves to humans unless they decide the want to keep said human. But, vampires do the same thing. We stay hidden until we show ourselves to you, and when we do that you're either ours or dead. Most of the time, that is." He proceeded.

"Wait a minute. I could just have been in love with Edward because his presense drew me in?" I asked.

"It is possible he, for a lack of a better term, drugged you, yes. But in the end you pure love was caused by other things. Not just his smell and his looks." Godric smiled. "Just as our blood keeps humans coming back for more. This is why our blood is sacred and shouldn't be given away freely."

I was kind of nervous then. He could probably smell Eric's blood mixed with mine, I only hoped it wasn't that big of a deal since I really didn't want to die. Now I was just over reacting about nothing. I needed help, probably professional.

"Godric, can they be killed?" Eric asked, holding me just a little tighter to his side. Probably feeling my stress.

"They do not bleed, and they are strong. I am honestly not sure. I was lucky enough to have Aro as a friend so when we came to blows he did not end me. He simply pinned me and asked me to leave his territory." Godric explained.

"They have to be torn apart and their pieces have to be burned." I said in a shaky voice. Their skin is like granite, nothing can pierce it. And some of them have special powers. Aro, he can see your whole past if he touches you, and Jane... Jane causes incredible pain. It doesn't work on me, though. Probably the same reason Edward can't read my mind. But, then again, Alice can see my future and Jasper can control my emotions..."

"Excuse me?" Godric inturrupted my rambling and I snapped to attention. "Special powers?"

"I've said way too much." I cried. I felt like I betrayed them again, like I did when I spilled everything to Jacob. "I can't get them in trouble."

"If they fight on our side, then there is nothing to worry about, Bella." Eric cooed and kissed my hair.

"Edward and Alice are very important to Aro. He wants the past, present and future. That's why he snatched me in the first place. He was going to use me as bait so that if Edward wanted me he'd have to join the Volturi, and he knew Alice wouldn't be far behind since the only person more important than Edward is her mate, Jasper. Edward can hear thoughts and Alice can see the future. Mental tricks don't work on me, like mind reading, past reading, Jane's pain thingy, glamouring..." I explained a little unwillingly.

"Like Sookie." Eric smiled.

"I don't know, I don't know if Edward or any of his kind can do anything to her. I know they wouldn't purposely try. Edward just hears...well, you know how Sookie is, she doesn't even try and she hears people's thoughts. I certainly don't want her involoved, so she will never find out if it all works on her or not." I pushed away from him, suddenly feeling suffocated.

"We need a test subject." Godric started pacing the office a little, which seemed odd. "What about Pamala?"

"Please, not my child, Godric." Eric seemed to beg a little. Good, perhaps he was understanding the severity of what could possibly happen. "And not Sookie, or Bella."

"Are there any other vampires in your area you would sacrafice for this? And do you need to alert your Queen to a possible attack from outsiders?" Godric asked.

"Bill Compton is Sophie Ann's little pet, he's also a nuisense to me." Eric raised an eyebrow and I smacked him.

"Eric, if you have a shred of feelings for Sookie you wouldn't make Bill go in first. Now, if he happened to, I don't know, offer himself up that would be different. Otherwise Sookie will never forgive you and no matter how much you might think you like me, I think you like Sookie, too." I rolled my eyes.

"The girl has a point. Perhaps we will let Sophie Ann decide." Godric suggested.

"Hell no! She'll throw Eric right in simply because his little human pet caused this chaos. I know how royalty works, Godric. Look, just... I'll go with them. I'm tired of getting everyone in trouble and putting everyone in danger. I'll just hand myself over as a snack and you all can go back to the way things were before. Fuck it!" I plopped down on the floor like a child. I pulled my knees up to my chest and just started crying. It wasn't attractive, it wasn't classy, it wasn't even anywhere near adult. But, I was done with all this bullshit. Maybe things would be easier for all of us if I just went with the Volturi, maybe they wouldn't kill me, or maybe they would.

"What is all of this commotion in here? What have you done to our new little human?" Pam barged in and stood before me, her hands on her hips, her Louboutin shoes in my face. "She is leaking!"

"Pamala..." Eric growled and that's when she noticed Godric, whom she literally bowed to, which gave me a terrible view of her nether region. Did you know Pam went camando? I didn't want to know that, either.

"I am so sorry, Godric. Please forgive my behavior." Pam was so not Pam just then. "Also, there is a strange looking pixie woman screaming for you out front, Bella."

"Alice!" I hissed.

"The future seer?" Godric raised an eyebrow, a hopeful smile on his face. I just nodded. "Pam, be a dear and let our guest in." Pam bowed and was gone and back with Alice at her heel. Alice was now the tiniest person in the room, and the deadliest.

"Bella! Thank God you're OK. I was seeing all different kinds of terrible things..." She cut herself off as she looked from the giant Eric to the not so giant, and much calmer looking Godric. "Who are these people, Bella?"

"This is Eric Northman, Godric and Pam." I explained, "My new friends." I tried to smile like I wasn't having yet another mental breakdown.

"Then why in the world did I see you offering yourself up to the Volturi?" She fussed as she picked me up off of the floor and dusted me off.

"Because, I'm tired of all this crap. Seriously tired." I felt my bottom lip tremble and I looked away from everyone. "Look, would I hurt myself, no. But I am seriously just ready for all this bullshit to be over. I want my Cullens and my southern people to live in harmony and be happily ever after. Why can't anything ever be that easy, huh?"

"I think you need sleep. And I think you need a visit from Jasper." Alice smiled and hugged me.

"Hell, just call Lafayette and he'll hook me up." I smiled back all awkward and stuff. "Medication lasts longer I think."

"OK, enough. Why are your kind coming after this innocent human? Why not just duel it out between the ones involved?" Godric was losing patients, and I was losing sanity. I'd love to finish this up at anytime.

"Because, he knows the only way Edward and I would join his coven is if he took Bella away. Course, he'd have to take Jasper, too, but Bella is his chess peice, and he's clearly still playing his hand even when he's not here. Can we call this a night? I think Bella needs some rest."

"Of course, I'll return her home." Eric frowned. "I'm sorry this upset you so much, lover." I just shook my head.

Somehow I'm not aware of what happened between the time we pulled out of the driveway and when we arrived back home, but Eric gently nudged me awake when he laid me down on my bed. This was so deja vu. "Hey, Eric?" I whispered. He smiled at me to go on. "If I had of met you before Edward would my life have been this hard?"

Eric frowned and brushed my hair from my face and kissed my forehead. "No, Bella, it wouldn't have been. I would have claimed you and all would have been done. You would be mine and no other vampire - no matter who - would be able to touch you."

"Well, shit, think that'll work now?" I bothered my bottom lip again assuming he would tell me to go to sleep and ignore me.

"Bella..." He plopped down on the end of the bed, making it creak dangerously.

"I know, I know, go to sleep." I sighed, being shut up like usual.

"Bella?" Eric said again, I peeked at him with my right eye. "That might just work."

* * *

**PS: Translation.**

**My son, it has been too long.**

**Godric, it has. This is the human I told you about. This is Bella.**

**Eric, you've embarrassed the beautiful child. You seem to be fascinated with her****, I feel a warmth there. Is there something you want to tell me, my son?**

**She is beautiful, and I want to make her mine. It's complicated.**


	15. Protection At Any Price Is Expensive

_A/N: First of all, I'd love to thank **my very new and very first beta and right hand lady slcurwin**. She has helped make this story flow so much better and she has some wicked ideas to mesh with mine. So, if you love this thank her too! _

_I know this has taken me a while to post, but I had a lot of RL to take care of. But, now that it is finished and sent through the wash, it is here and ready for your consumption! Enjoy and please, R&R!_

* * *

So, to recap, I've fallen in love, I've been broken up with, I've thrown myself to the wolves… Wait… That may just confuse you. I've thrown myself to the Italians and been proposed to. I've lost my virginity to my not quite yet fiancé and I've been snatched away by a swimming game. Yes, remember? Marco and Polo. I'm still hoping Aro did that shit on purpose.

I've lost my memory and regained a new sense of self in a tiny southern town with vampires and Sookie. My memory has returned and I now realize I was desperately in love with a different kind of vampire. Only, the vampire and his family have sort of proven to me that I may or may not have been a little mistaken when it comes to what 'love' is. Like, I take an Italian bullet for you but you don't take one for me, kind of thing.

Plus, these Bon Temps folks are pretty freaking sweet. Honestly. I mean, Eric picks me up out of my wounded heap and gives me his blood to save my life. Sookie just takes me in like I'm not a strange girl with no memories. Jason…well, he was really just nice to look at. I sort of wished I had a hearing problem at the time, but sadly… I now have a very unfortunate and strong opinion of that window licker.

But even Lafayette, in his weird voodoo way, totally tried to help a sista out and he kind of did. I mean, what friendly neighborhood drug dealer would just let you into their house and into their secret side job? I know, right? So _sweet_!

I could do without Bill, though. Come to think of it, I'm sort of wondering if Bill and Edward should find a support group for other raging emo vampires. I know this sounds harsh and all, but I mean they're both terrible at life. Berating themselves and mentally staking themselves daily isn't really an awesomely sexy way to do things.

And yes, I loved that shit. Can you believe it? I'm thinking naivety or some damn thing. You know, cuz I'm so much older and wiser like a week later and stuff.

I think it was just because I have never met an Eric before. Or a super yummy Godric, who by the way totally looks like jail bait, but I bet he's like at least a couple thousand years old, right?

I'm pretty sure I'm on the verge of, if I hadn't already had, a mental break. I wasn't this strong. I wasn't strong enough to have to accept all of these new revelations and I wasn't strong enough to hold my head high when I knew I was still targeted.

Something had to give.

Eric was hiding away in the little hidey-hole in my closet. After he and I came up with the idea of him claiming me he refused to allow me to make a decision. He wanted me to sleep on it, go out with Edward, discuss it with him and then come to the conclusion that way. I had to give it to him, 1,000 years made the man pretty smart.

I climbed out of bed and stripped as I went to the shower. The water was almost too hot, but my body welcomed it and as I washed I started thinking. What harm would it cause if I was Eric's for the time being? It would prove to be helpful in my decision making between the two of them, and it would keep me safe. I couldn't imagine it being something I couldn't walk away from if I wanted to either.

Once I was finished with my shower I got dressed and headed down to the kitchen. Sookie was there when I arrived. "Day off?" I smiled.

"I work later." She returned the gesture. As Sookie filled my plate with bacon and french toast I peeked at the word of the day. Retention to possess, ownership, bond. What was it with this damn calendar having the exact word pertaining to the mood of the day? After our talk last night, I could very soon be Eric's. Would Edward even let this happen? Would he do this for my safety or would he look at it like I betrayed him just bringing something like this up? "What's on your mind, Bella?" Sookie asked as I plopped in a chair robotically.

I proceeded to explain to Sookie everything that happened last night. From Edward stopping by to Eric's suggestion after my musings. She nearly choked on her coffee at the mention of being Eric's and I grimaced. "Is he that bad? I mean, it seems to me like he wants this just so I'm protected. He'd let me go if I asked, wouldn't he?"

"No, no, that's not it at all. It's just, I thought you were with Edward. Being Eric's, do you know what this all means?" She asked after she regained her calm.

"I mean, we didn't really discuss it. It came up, he told me to talk to Edward about it, and then I fell asleep. I'm sure he would have explained more if I hadn't passed out on him. Why, what does this mean?" I was sure Eric wouldn't mind me getting this info from Sookie if she knew the answers. He'd probably welcome it from her seeing as she'd give me the aspects of it from the same end I'd be on.

"Being Eric's gives you his ultimate protection, but being a pet to a vampire isn't the best thing in the world depending on the vamp. Even if Eric is as sweet as pie when you're all alone he would have to treat you differently among other vampires. Pets are usually just feed and fucks, but I have a feeling Eric may feel a little different about you considering you haven't just seen him once and it didn't involve bed games. And you'd probably have to share blood at least once if not bond. And once you bond it's forever." Sookie explained.

"Forever? Seriously? What if we're not meant to be together forever?" I grimaced. "What if I eventually, once it's safe, go back to Edward?"

"The bond may weaken eventually, but it would make you want no one else. The point would be moot." Sookie went on.

"Eric makes me feel a lot like an equal, Edward always lied to me, or kept things from me to keep me safe. Even if I have to play puppy while I'm in front of other vampires, I'll still feel more equal and more content than with a group of liars and manipulators. And if it will fade if I want it to, then I don't see what the problem is. Sookie, you have to understand, I've been wanting to be a vampire for a while now, so that I could stay with Edward, to be equal and able to protect what's mine. And Edward promised me after Italy that he'd change me. Every time I brought it up he'd have an excuse to wait. I'm tired of going by everyone else's time tables. I need to start living - or the lack there of - on my own terms now. Seems to me that's the only way anything's going to get done around here anyway. This wasn't how I wanted it, but now I kinda feel like the only way for me to survive is to become a vampire, with or without Edward. I don't feel safe enough to be human, it's become a death sentence for me. The Volturi will find me."

Sookie sighed, "So you'd jump to this, even with Eric's offer?" She frowned. I wondered if she worried about my humanity or if she didn't think I'd be a good vampire. This I realized was just a part of my mental break. She clearly had no problems with vampires.

"I'm willing to wait to see if this blood thing will work. Maybe Edward was right, there's no need to be hasty. I just feel like this is all happing way too fast." I sighed as I looked down at my now cool breakfast. I guess I'd just have to wait and see what happened tonight. I only hoped that things wouldn't fall apart, but I was fully aware of the fact that you can't have your cake and eat it, too.

*CL*

"Good evening, Bella. You look beautiful." Edward bowed at me. I was wearing a creamy yellow gypsy skirt and a white tank top. My hair was french braided - thanks to Sookie - and I was wearing strappy white sandals. Edward was somehow matching with light khakis and a white button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. This all used to be my undoing. Though he still looked absolutely edible I wasn't as easily impressed. I'd lived a little.

"So, I was thinking Merlotte's and then maybe come back here and go for a walk behind the house. I hear there's a sweet little pond back there in a clearing. We have a lot of talking to do, so…" I suggested, trailing off when he frowned a little at my mention of talking.

"That sounds wonderful, but I got us a reservation at a quaint little french restaurant…" I shook my head, before he could finish.

"You need to see why I want to stay here, why I love it here. You have to understand. You won't understand going to a frog restaurant." I grinned as I headed toward his rental car. It was a black mustang, top down. Before I could reach for the door, he reached around me and opened the door for me. Once I was in and situated he shut the door and backed out of the drive. I gave him directions on how to get to the little local bar and grille and when we parked he looked a little perturbed.

"It seems loud and reckless, Bella." He offered.

"I know, I love it!" I grinned wide and hopped over the door before he could get around to open it for me. I felt free, I felt happy, and I felt certain that either Edward would love this place and it's people or hate it. Either way I'd definitely have my answer as to if he and I had a chance any longer.

I waited for his shock to dissolve from my leap from the car so that he could get out and head into the restaurant. When we walked in Sookie smiled at us and pointed to her section. She told us she'd be right there with menus after she finished refilling some drinks. I watched as Edward scoped out the place from the bar, to the dining area, to the pool tables and juke box. A Garth Brooks song was playing, one about friends in low places and it made me smile. It was as if it was my soundtrack for the evening.

There were couples, young and old. Groups of teens were at the pool tables and one with a short, short skirt bending over leaving nothing to the imagination, selecting songs at the juke. Drunks at the bar arguing politics or drowning out their sorrows. Lafayette's loud voice was heard from the kitchen and Arlene, the red headed devil was glaring at me as she took in Edward. I could tell she wanted to come over and talk to us, to get in the loop, but she wouldn't dare. Especially since we weren't in her section, Sookie would probably give her a piece of her mind for bugging her customers.

Sookie only took a few minutes and then she was at our table placing two greasy menus in front of us. She smiled at Edward and his eyes opened in shock. He smiled once he regained himself and I could tell a silent conversation had just went on in front of me. "It's all for show, I'm sure you know, Bella." She smiled.

"Oh yeah, I know. I'm used to it. Anyway, I'll just take the cheeseburger basket and a coke. Why don't you order your meal and come sit with us for your break?" I suggested. She grinned and nodded as she walked away. Stopping in her tracks as she passed a booth of college aged boys I thought she had forgotten something. That was until I saw Edward's look of disgust.

"Can I get you boys anything?" Sookie asked in a super sweet voice. I knew she was fishing so she could indent their heads with her tray.

"A piece of your mighty fine ass would be perfect, baby." The boldest one replied with a sneer. Sam was there instantly and with fists full of t-shirts he dragged the kids out of the bar.

"My staff doesn't get talked to like that. Don't you ever come back here, unless it's to apologize!"

"I can't believe women subject themselves to such abuse." Edward was shaking his head and I gawked at him.

"We can't help what people think or say. This is a great place and I've even thought of getting a job here. As you can see, Sam takes good care of the girls and most everyone else is friendly." I replied feeling protective of this little hole in the wall.

"You'd never work here, Bella. I wouldn't allow it, not to mention you wouldn't have to. What's mine is yours, love." He smiled. I raised an eyebrow and chose not to start a fight. I had more important things to talk about. Sookie and I had talked earlier and she had heard that the Revelation was coming real soon. It could be within the month, and if that was the case vampires would be walking amongst us out of hiding. That would make things so much easier for her and for me, and if that were the case, I would definitely not ever have to leave here. A girl can hope, right?

"I want to work for what I get, Edward. I am flattered you'd think that, but I could never be a kept woman." I smiled warmly. He just kept quiet. Apparently he disagreed and felt the same way about arguing.

"What did you need to talk about, love?" He asked as Sookie brought our food.

"It is personal, but Sookie does know about it. It's your call if you want an audience." I answered. He just watched me expectantly, as if I even had to ask and for me to continue. "Well, Eric and I came up with a pretty interesting way to keep me 100% safe, just… It would involve you and your feelings so he suggested I talk to you about it first."

"Here's your burger, what's up?" Sookie smiled as she sat down at our table. I explained we had begun the talk about Eric's plan. Her eyes widened as she looked between the two of us, but didn't move to get up and she didn't say anything so I went on.

"Since the Volturi aren't like Eric we thought that if he were to claim that I am his that they couldn't take me from him. The unspoken rule to all of you guys is that if one is claimed, especially bonded, they can't be taken away from their master." I paused, waiting for a reaction of any kind. He sat stone faced. "So…we were thinking of an exchange to keep me safe. Even if you changed me right now they could still procure me, but being attached to Eric would completely and utterly ensure my safety. You wouldn't have to worry about me anymore."

Finally, something. Rage. Sookie glared at him and grabbed my hand. Apparently something she heard wasn't sitting well with her at all and she glared at him and shook her head. Edward cut his eyes to her and then back to me and took an unnecessarily deep breath. "You're telling me that since I didn't change you when you wanted me to you're going to let someone else have your blood? Let someone else's scent blend with yours forever? You'd give me up for him because he's willing to give you everything I've been reluctant, yet partial to giving you myself? I'm just a pawn in your hand aren't I? Just something expendable? You're doing a real bad job at proving to me that you haven't completely changed and become a completely different person."

"Edward, that's not what this is about. I'm asking you, I'm telling you and I'm asking you what you think. If I didn't still care about you I wouldn't have even asked. But, I'm not going to sit here unprotected and at least have a chance to not become their little toy. If I end up in their clutches again I'd probably kill myself. So, please, help me protect myself." I could feel myself wanting to cry, but I had done way too much of that already. I needed Edward to understand that this wasn't me playing a game or giving him an ultimatum. This was me trying to live, trying to survive, the only way I knew how.

"I think…I think even if I were to change you right now they'd still take you. I have no power over you and if… If you trust him enough to keep you safe… Bella," Edward grabbed my hands in his and I felt it through to my bones. "I've only ever wanted what was best for you, only what would keep you safe. He can do that for you, I can't. I can only hope that you'll be happy whether it's as his or being with me eventually. Sookie, it was a pleasure. I'm sure you can find your way home, right, Bella?" He rose from his seat, came around to mine and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I'll love you forever, Bella, and I'll be wherever you are, forever." And he was gone.

Jesus Christ, what had I just done? Why did it feel so final if he was saying that it wasn't? Why did it feel like he was leaving me if he was saying he wasn't? Why was it so cold? Why was the ground shaking? Why was everything going blurry? What was that sound?

Arms were around me and I was in Sam's office. At least, that's where I thought I was considering the office furniture and the smell of Merlotte's still in the air. The arms were strong and cool and safe. I finally looked to see that I was wrapped up in Eric. Sam was sitting in his desk chair and Sookie was standing by the door looking crazy worried.

"I told him what happened." She whispered and Eric's fangs popped out.

"So, how do we do this thing, Eric?" I asked, my voice weak from sleep or was it from crying?

"I think we should go home and talk once more before we make any decisions." Eric soothed.

"Got your fangs in another one, Northman?" Sam grumbled.

"Sam!" Sookie and I both whined. He folded his arms over his chest and pouted. Eric scooped me up and drove me back to Sookie's.

When we got to my room he asked me to explain what happened and I told him.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, lover?" He questioned, looking deep in my eyes.

I nodded and sniffled. "He's hurting, really badly, but he knows this is the best way - the only way - to ensure my safety. He'd do anything, and so would I. It also doesn't hurt that I like you, a lot." I blushed despite myself.

"Well, let's slow down! I'm quite prudish, Bella!" He gasped and I could see the sparkle in his eye as I floundered finally realizing he was joking with me. I laughed and was grateful for the comic relief.

"So, do you bite me or do I bite you?" I blushed, this was so new to me, but I wasn't going to back down now. Not when I was at the finish line.

"It takes three exchanges to bond, so there will be no big commitment made tonight. We'll have the first tonight to solidify the fact that you are mine and then we will take it from there, OK? I'll bite my wrist and then once you take your first pull I'll bite you. Do you want your marks healed or no?"

"No… That way they'll not only smell it but see it." I replied, feeling more confident. As Eric's fangs ran out I was hypnotized. Ripping into his wrist and pressing it to my mouth the taste was once again surprisingly good and though the first shock of the bite on my neck hurt, the sensation of his drinking made me long for much more than a blood exchange. Before I could think I left his wrist to smash my lips to his as I suddenly could sense him not only on me, but inside of me, in each and every fibre of my being, dancing through my veins and making me invincible. At least for the moment I felt strong and beautiful and I had never truly felt that way ever before in my life. As he laid me back on the bed running his hands over my body I giggled. _Eric, does a body good_.


	16. Mind Games

_A/N: Sorry this took so long, and I hope you truly enjoy it! Slcurwin is the beta of the hour and I want to thank her for being patient as I tried to get the whole 'I'm obsessed with reading every Labyrinth fic out there' thing out of my system. Edward and Eric sandwiches to you lovely!_

_As always, I own nothing and this IS an alternate universe where anything my brain tells me goes. And, my brain tells me this sucker is almost over! So, please, R&R and let me know what you all think! Until next time FFN!_

_*Oh, and when the time comes, there will be a reference to BBD, which means Bigger Better Deal. That is all!_

* * *

Mind Games

"Cannon ball!" And then someone huge came crashing down on my bed. My eyes shot open as I shot straight up in bed, giving Linda Blair a run for her money.

"Jesus Christ!" I screamed.

"Hey, squirt! Long time, no see." And there was a huge smile to go with that huge beast now sitting on the end of my bed. Emmett Cullen wasn't someone you'd ever call dainty, careful, or gentle. He was a bear of a guy with shortly cropped curled light brown hair with signature golden eyes. He was adorable with the huge dimples on his face when he smiled, and he was one of my best friends. I'd trust him with my life, and he'd take care of me no matter what. Sometimes I'd wonder how he got mixed up and mated with Rosalie - the Ice Queen of Forks.

"Oh my God, Em, you scared the shit outta me!" I wheezed, gripping my chest.

"Ha, yeah, well I had to wake you up. You know, that perky blonde downstairs is pretty sweet. And her manners are out of this world. I think within the two minutes it took for me to get from the front door to your bedroom she offered me a drink, something to eat, and a place to sit and wait at least a dozen times. I just said I'd wait for you in here." He grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"Thanks for waiting… That was really sweet the way you scared the living crap out of me!" I shouted and pushed him in the chest. Of course, he didn't move, he just laughed.

"Bells, what did you do to Edward?" His jovial facial expression long gone as he cornered me about his 'little' brother.

"I didn't do anything to him. I simply asked him to help me stay safe. He blew the whole thing out of proportion." I explained as I got more comfortable in a seated position under the blankets. "Aro would take me human or vampire. But, if I were Eric's he would be hard pressed to take me away from him. Especially seeing as he's not the same kind of vamp you guys are."

"Uh huh. So what you're telling me is that you basically told Edward you found a BBD*, right? I mean, you guys are out on a date and you tell him you're going to hook up with another dude just to 'stay safe'? And you know that when you throw around your safety he's unable to deny you anything. The little bastard's scarily in love with you. How could you do that?" Emmett frowned. Shit, I hated when he had a sad. Someone that happy and excitable should never have a sad.

"Emmett, were you there when he left me and sent your family away to pretend you never existed? Do you also remember when I risked my life to save his in Italy? Sure, he grovelled and shit, but when I wanted him to come to me he had to 'make sure it was safe, first'. What the fuck? No one checked to see if I would be safe running after him in Volterra and I did it without a second thought. This after he told me he didn't want me. Why can no one else see how one-sided this is? I am not saying I don't love Edward, what I'm saying is that Eric and I have found out a way to keep me safe, in America, and still human. All I did was exchange some blood. It's not the end of the world." I growled in frustration.

"Oh, that's it?" Emmett asked and raised an eyebrow.

"YES! That's IT! I know about the bonding process, we're nowhere near bonded. This is just a safety option. Jesus!" I slammed my fists on the mattress.

"I came here to bully you when all you did was… I'm wasting my time in a girly bedroom, on a girly bed with my human sister, all for this? I could be in my hotel suite with my wife doing. . . well, doing things! Shit!" Emmett seemed just as peeved as I was. "Bella, not that I don't love you to death, but this was kind of unnecessary."

"This I get. Come on, I need food and we can talk a little longer so it doesn't seem such a waste, and then you can head back." I smiled as I hopped out of bed. Emmett gasped. I turned around to look at him and he had his face covered.

"I so didn't check out your ass. I so did not check out your ass. It's just, those shorts are leaving nothing to the imagination, Bells. If Edward sees that I saw…" He was stammering and I was giggling as I pulled some sweats up over my pj boy shorts.

"OK, it's clear." I smiled and he spread his fingers to peek at me before dropping his hands all together.

"Alright, just don't ever do that to me again. Especially when he's ragging, OK?" He asked and I gave him the Scout's Honor.

We headed downstairs and met Sookie in the kitchen. "I would have come to your aid, but you sounded just fine after a minute." She smiled.

"Yeah, this big oaf just felt the need to scare the crap out of me. I may have to wash the sheets." I winked.

"That reminds me, your breakfast is in the oven keeping warm. Strawberry banana crepes and of course bacon." She grinned as she moved to pour me some milk. I nearly skipped to the oven and back anticipating the pleasure my taste buds were going to enjoy momentarily.

"Humans and their food. That just smells like melted fruit, and the bacon? Let's just remember, I chase living animals to drink their blood and here you've fried their butt fat. What is wrong with you people?" Emmett shook his head in amazed disgust. I snatched up a piece and shoved the whole thing in my mouth nomming on it the whole time. "There is something seriously wrong with you." He gaped.

"So, are you going to explain all that to Edward when you get home?" I asked between bites.

"I could do that, or I could go ahead and send his sorry ass over here to find out for himself. I mean, how much of my precious eternity do I need to waste securing his shaky man card? He's over 100 years old, when is he going to grow a pair?" Emmett whined. I laughed.

"Well, you do what you think is best, Em." I couldn't help the smile that wouldn't leave my face. I really, truly, missed Emmett. He was like the big brother I never had. "You know, Emmett?"

"What, squirt?"

"I missed you. A lot. I just want you to know that." I blushed.

"Oh Jesus!" He exclaimed in a terrible Southern accent. "Be still my dead heart! If I could cry tears of joy I would, you little rascal, you!"

I just blinked a few times unable to absorb such hilarity all at once.

"Seriously, though, that means a lot. You know none of us really wanted to leave you, right? But, we did it because Edward asked us to in order to keep you safe. You may not see it, and we all may have made big mistakes, but we all really do love you and want what's best for you."

"I know, but sometimes I think you guys think way too much. If you could curb that, it be great thanks!" I winked. He smiled his signature dimpled smile and nodded.

"You got it, kiddo."

"And, Emmett?" I got a little quieter. Looking back at how brass I had been with him about Edward upstairs I felt ashamed in letting him leave here without explaining a little further. But I had a question, perhaps I was over reacting again. "You really think this is no big deal?"

Emmett's eyes betrayed him as he smiled at me. I knew he didn't believe that one bit. "Bells, I'm here for you and my brother. I hate seeing him so upset, but if you honestly think you're doing the right thing then maybe Edward is reacting badly."

Shocked at how intelligent he could be at any given time I blinked a few times before speaking again. "I love Edward, this I know for a fact. It's just that a lot of things have happened in such a short amount of time that I'm just so stuck on scared. Eric offered me protection that none of you could have offered. Something I know that if any of you could have - especially Edward - it would have been the first thing out of your mouths. Now all I've done is screwed things up even worse. He's never going to forgive me for this, is he?"

Emmett winked at me and stood from his seat. As he got close enough to touch he ruffled my hair. "I'll let him know what we talked about and we'll see where it goes from there. If you need anything, call us. Even Rose is worried about you, and that's some kind of record." And with that he left me there with Sookie who had tears in her eyes as she patted my hand. This was some tiring shit right here…

*CL*

So Sookie thought it would be a good idea for me to come with her to Merlotte's since I wanted some extra cash. She figured Sam could use me somewhere, and she was right. Sam had me bussing tables. It wasn't the most glamorous of things to do, frankly it was downright disgusting sometimes, but if I stayed around and I did a good job he'd train me on tons of other stuff, too. Because of all of this I accepted his offer.

Plus, who just takes a random girl under their wing? It was like the thing to do around here, as if they had some sort of charity quota they had to fill and I was the lucky winner of all of their attentions. Not that I didn't like it, I was just feeling a little guilty. I didn't really deserve all of this, did I?

As I thought about what I said to Emmett and what he said back to me I was really not feeling very worth it at the moment. And what was I going to say to Eric? _Thanks for the blood, but I'm only using you. I'm going back to Edward_. Yeah, that made me sound even more awesome. _God, I'm an asshole_.

Sookie happened to be working the afternoon today, but I had overheard she had to pull a double. Apparently Arlene wasn't going to be in today. Something about one of her kids having 'the pink eye' or something. I offered to stay and help her and she seemed appreciative of that. Hey, if I can give back even a little of what she's given me I'll do it.

While I straightened up my hundredth table of the day - OK, maybe I'm exaggerating - I got to thinking. The Cullens were doing as much as they could to get me to understand they loved, cared, and worried about me. Just because they were a little backwards in their way of thinking didn't mean that they were lying about it. Maybe after the revelation thing I keep hearing about things will fall into place. _Right, and he's going to be waiting on bated breath__ f__or your prodigal return_, I chastised.

I was also getting a little worried about why I didn't miss or worry about my dad. I was sure he was totally broken up about me being missing and everything, but that just didn't seem to matter. Bon Temps, Louisiana was some sort of opiate, some sort of crazy drug that kept me wanting more and wanting nothing else.

That's when I started thinking that perhaps I was screwed like Sarah Williams in _The Labyrinth_ when she ate that peach. You know the part, right? She eats the peach, passes out and dances all night long with the hot and sexy Jareth, King of the Goblins. That's until suddenly she flips her shit about Toby and all's set to rights. Was I going to flip my shit here eventually and realize this is all some weird alternate universe? Like, I truly did fall off of a cliff and now here I am stuck in some hospital bed in a coma while my friends and family are all around me being all mushy and caring. Just like when James bit me and Edward nearly drained me back in Arizona. I had been in a bit of a coma then.

But, I don't think I was hallucinating. Shit! I really hoped this whole thing wasn't a dream. I liked it here. The only thing I didn't like was Edward being hurt, but he sort of kind of cause that himself, right? I mean, he's the one being the douche bag not me, right?

_Yeah, keep telling yourself that._ . .

"Bella?" I shook myself out of it and looked over at Sookie who was standing next to me, eyebrow raised. "Where were you just then?"

"In an alternate universe with you guys and the Cullens and Jareth the Goblin King." I smiled. She gaped at me and then shook her head.

"Girl, you're out of your mind. You've been at this same dirty table for almost ten minutes now. It's nearing the dinner rush, I need you on your game." Sookie scolded me. That was more intense than my dad or my mom or even Carlisle scolding me. Sookie Stackhouse: independent homemaker and waitress of the century winner of greatest Southern Hospitality of the decade is unhappy with me. OK, let me break it down and make it so this feeling is better understood. It's like I just used all of George Carlin's famous 'words you can't use on television' in front of a cute little baby and didn't know Santa, Jesus Christ, Oprah and Mother - Fucking - Theresa are standing behind me. Feel the shame and embarrassment now? Yeah.

So there I go cleaning at top speed with a nutty smile on my face just to make up from my latest feux pas when none other than Jane walks in. Jane, the pain inflicting demon child vampire that Aro loves oh so much. She's wearing black jeans and a dark purple peasant top with her ice blonde hair straightened. Her makeup makes her look much older than she…well than she was when she was a human and the sky high black heels she had on made her look taller. But I could still see those blood red eyes of hers from where I ducked behind the kitchen window. _Fuuuuuck_!

"Who is you hidin' from girly?" Lafayette came down to my level just to give me the eyebrow.

"You didn't see that crazy 'I didn't know it's not the 80's anymore' blonde out there?" I whispered. I was just hoping there was enough talking going on out there that she wouldn't hear - or recognize for that matter - my voice.

"Well yeah I sees her, but this is the deep South. Trash comes and goes and I think nothing of it." He giggled and I gaped at him.

"That…she's…holy Jesus. You can't provoke her, she's fuckin' nuts." I warned.

"You know her?" He sobered.

"Yeah, and she's a part of the group who tried to take me away from my family." I replied. It wasn't necessarily a lie just not the whole detailed truth.

"Alright, you hide out in here and I'll get rid of her." He grinned waving his spatula as he stood and brushed off his camo pleated skirt. "Honey chile' how old are you? It's after 9 at night and this bar is closed to people under the age of 18 without a parent or guardian."

"Excuse me?" Her sweet voice scared the shit out of me. It was all quiet and adorable and unassuming.

"Looky here, it's time for you to leave." He replied raising his voice.

"I'm older than you obviously think I am. In fact, I'm older than you could even fathom and if you don't tell me where I can find Bella Swan I'll make you feel things you could never imagine your body could feel without dying." Jane must have been real close now. Or stupid. Even though this was a bar that didn't mean these people were all that drunk and all that oblivious. "Give her to me or you die."

And that's when my nightmare sort of came true. Before I can sacrifice myself for the greater good of Bon Temps and the people I have learned to love in storms Edward Cullen and a fangy Eric Northman. _Well, fuck!_

Jane just grins and the entire - and I mean entire - bar looks on animatedly. Like, is this a movie? Before I can try and understand how many people are going to have to be glamoured - or killed - Jane notices me. I mean, it's hard not to. Here I am all crazy like with Lafayette's hand on my head trying to push me back down behind the counter while I'm trying my best to recreate my run through Volterra to get in the way of the two men in my life.

She grins a little wider and now Laffy's on the ground all writhing in pain and I'm screaming at her to stop because, you know, that shit doesn't work on me and Edward's face is all scrunched up and Eric looks even more pissed than he was when he came in and the customers are all screaming and carrying on and I see Sookie peeking out from the hallway all scared and I just scream.

"ENOUGH!" Before I even register my scream has syllables Jane releases Laf and glares at me.

"How dare you order me about!" She slithers a little closer and Edward goes for it. He's got his hands around her so that she can't move her arms and Eric flies to my side and Sookie pulls the fire alarm and everyone runs screaming leaving us alone in the bar with this nut. At least all they saw was a few crazy people. Unless they saw Eric's fangs, but perhaps they'd be too drunk or something.

"Leave, without another word and without any more of your little gift and I won't kill you here and now." Edward growls. I can't get my eyes off of these two and I can't help the well of love that nearly knocks me on my ass. Edward could die right now and he'd do it willingly just to save me.

And before anything else could transpire, before I could let things go any further I had to let him know. God dammit, Eric was sexy and he could probably turn my world upside down, but. . .

"Edward, I love you!"

The look on his face was pain and anger and happiness and reverence and love and the look on Jane's face was hate, which soon turned to nothing as Edward deftly tore her marble throat out, her head rolling across the floor and landing at my feet.

I think Edward may have said it back, but I'm not sure because that's when everything faded to black.


	17. First You Must Go To Hell

_A/N: Thanks again to the Beta-extraordinaire SLCURWIN for being amazing and helping me with this mess of a chapter. She even gave me a line or two that I took full advantage of! OK, perhaps more than a line. She knows what they are and I'm forever grateful for your genius! She deserves a night - hell a week - with Eric Northman!_

_I get all nervous when I get close to the end of things. Actually, this may be the FIRST story I will ever finish! I know right? It has a lot to do with your support as readers and all of the love you've left me, not to forget all of the suggestions as well. If I'm to guess I'd say MAYBE three more chapters are left? Perhaps 4 depending on how things pan out. So thanks again to everyone who's read and reviewed! Thanks to my wonderful and talented Beta (she's up there!) _

_So, please continue with the support as it definitely gets harder and harder to finish ANYTHING! You'll drive me for sure! So, please enjoy!_

* * *

FIRST YOU MUST GO TO HELL. . .

"What happened?" I rubbed the back of my head, it hurt pretty bad, and then I looked around. Why was I on the floor? And why in the hell was I not out front anymore?

"Bella, hush!" Sookie begged quietly. "There are some very bad people out there looking for you."

"No shit! Why do you think I was hiding with Lafayette! You can't possibly think that there was only going to be one of them, right?" I winced standing up. My head really freaking hurt!

"Here, sit down and put ice on it." She said moving me to Sam's desk chair and plopping a big bag of ice in my hand. "And shut up!" I just glared at her as I plastered the ice bag to the back of my skull. This wasn't good.

_Who's still out there?_ I asked, hoping she could hear me. She looked at me and smiled. Holding up two fingers I nodded. _Eric and Edward?_ She nodded. And then Lafayette came tearing into the office slamming the door.

"Hookah, there are some crazy folk out there looking for you and they said they'd burn the whole fuckin' place down if we didn't give you up! Now, I don't know much about you, and I don't really care right now. So, go out to the crazy folks so I don't have to die!"

"LAFAYETTE!" Sookie scolded. "I can't believe you'd say something like that!"

"Um, he's sort of right. You've all gone through enough crap for me as it is. Lafayette allowed two vamps into his house when he really didn't want to. He trusted me not to be an FBI agent or something, and brought me into his. . .pharmacy. Look, I'm not going to ask either of you for more. Sookie, you took me in and saved my life! Granted, Eric did give me his blood which I think is why I really lived, but you helped me find myself. You've all done enough. It's time for me to face my own shit on my own." I preached.

"I refuse to let you walk out there just to get killed. There has got to be another way." Sookie whined. That scared me, Sookie didn't whine.

"Call Bill, use him as a scapegoat. No one seems to like him!" I offered. "Besides, Eric's the hotter one, and the smarter one. Hell, Bill's had way more than enough time to get his ass here so, where is the douche?"

"I can't do that! What if they kill him?" Sookie gasped.

I just shrugged. "All I know is this: if we wait too much longer their going to make good on their threat. We killed," with a glare and a grumble from Lafayette I corrected myself. "OK, _Edward_ killed Jane. Jane is like Aro's little baby. He freaking loved that psycho, so he's not going to be in much of a negotiating mood to say the least. Get Bill here and he can 'take me to their leader' and hopefully be an awesome distraction so not too many - if any of us - have to die."

_Son of a bitch!_ Why was I always the one having these conversations? I was freaking 18 years old! I shouldn't be plotting out killing before being killed scenarios. _I am so swearing off vampires for the rest of my life!_

"Yeah, come to the back of the bar, Sam's office. Thanks." Sookie was finishing a quiet phone conversation while I had a mini breakdown. "Bill's on his way."

"Holy shit! This is really happening!" I plopped back down on the swivel chair. "I am so sorry I ever met you guys! Not because I don't love you, but because I do and here I go bringing all this shit your way. I am so sorry!" And there it went, after days and days of not knowing what I felt the tears came, and I couldn't breathe. I felt like my head was being removed from my body.

Just before I began seeing stars from lack of oxygen Bill came sauntering through the back door. "What is all of this about?" He asked, his seriously over exaggerated southern accent ground on my last nerve. I was kind of shocked he made it in at all, but then again if the Volturi were expecting Jane to survive, not having back up would make total sense.

"The people responsible for all of this happening to Bella are out in the bar. We need you to escort her out to them and keep her safe." Sookie replied. She looked a little sick, perhaps because she wasn't sure if he'd come back or not. It amazed me that this sweet, smart, pretty woman had any feelings whatsoever for this guy, but hey. To each their own!

"I am not going to throw myself to the wolves for this girl." Bill replied, highly offended. _Asshole_.

"They aren't wolves. They are vampires, come on! Keep up, jackass!" I grumbled. He raised an eyebrow, which was not nearly as sexy as when Edward or Eric did it.

"And with that attitude you want me to help you?" He sneered.

"Bill Compton, if you love me at all you will help her! What is your problem with her anyway? What did she ever do to you?" Sookie scolded. I giggled.

_There you go, Sook, keep your pimp hand strong_, I thought. She snorted. Bill glared between us and then huffed.

"Fine, let us get this over with." He sneered. I reluctantly walked over to him and headed through the hallway. I peered around the corner as carefully and as quietly as I could. Standing there in the bar was Eric and Edward, now accompanied by Aro, Marcus and Caius. I wasn't really expecting them all to be there, perhaps more henchmen, but not the three amigos.

"Shit!" I whispered. Bill looked at me not at all amused as I slunk back around against the wall. "The big guns!"

"We won't wait much longer Edward. Where is the girl?" Aro's spine tingling voice wafted over to us.

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about. Last I knew you had her." Edward replied. I just hoped neither of them shook hands with the snake.

"Then why on earth would you destroy," at this Aro began to sniffle and choke. _Come on now, you know you can't cry_, I thought. "Why did you destroy my Jane?"

"She's a threat to this small town. She was acting out ridiculously and causing quite a scene. You of all vampires should know that is a cardinal rule not to be broken." Edward was smooth, but how smooth could he be and for how long? I'd have to step in eventually. This was all my fault, I should have never gone back to Forks and then none of this would have happened.

But, did I really think my life would have been better without Edward - or any of these people for that matter - in it? Of course not, I was just being silly. Of course, I think I had license to that in this moment all things considered.

"Are you through acting childish? I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible. I have many more important things to be doing right now." Bill grumbled and I snarled at him.

"What is more important that keeping Sookie safe, Bill? You really are a douche hole."

"You have nothing to do with my Sookie." Bill replied. I just rolled my eyes.

"Ah, what do we have here?" Strolling out of the ladies bathroom came Demetri and Felix. Demetri wasn't bad looking, but Felix was huge and terrifying. Demetri smiled at me and I shuddered. _Crap_!

"Uh, look, can we just talk about this, maybe not get everyone else involved? Huh?" I begged pushing myself up against the wall so hard I thought I'd leave a permanent indent in the false wood.

He tsked me and shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid not. Felix?" With that Felix made quick work of collecting Bill and Demetri wrapped a gloved hand in my hair, forcing me to walk ahead of him out to the front where the other vampires were. I struggled, but each pull I made pulled more on my hair, and I feared if I pulled too much he'd quite literally scalp me.

"Aro, I've found something of consequence." Demetri's coldness elicited an entirely new fear in me. What if Aro only wanted to kill me so that he had a much more pliable depressed Edward? What if he never wanted me as his own in the first place?

"Ah, you've found our Bella." He grinned, his paper thin face contracting in an awful way.

"No!" Edward cried and Eric growled seeing Bill being pulled behind me. "You're an epic failure, Compton. Why are you even here?"

"Another fangy one, I see. Much weaker than this beautiful specimen, but perhaps he would be useful, no?" Caius spoke for perhaps the first time I had ever heard. Marcus, as usual, looked bored to death. Wish I had that reaction to ultimate doom.

"They will all come with us, the four of them." Aro ordered. "Now, Edward, do what I ordered of you." I couldn't imagine what Aro would have ordered of Edward, and from the look on his face it wasn't anything good.

"Can't I say something?" And there it went, the mouth was running and no one was up in the control room to stop it. They all looked at me in shock, some pained and some humoured.

"Do." Aro grinned again. As the bile rose in my throat I nodded.

"What do these three have to do with me? Can't I just go with all of you in place of these three?" I asked, shaking like a leaf.

"Now, what would be the fun in that, dear?" Aro replied.

"None of this is fun, sir." I cried.

"Edward, now or she's mine." Aro ignored me and went back to Edward who looked like a man on fire.

"Not now, not like this!" He shouted and Eric groaned.

"Fucking Edward. . . I'll do it!" He growled. "Come here, Bella."

"No! I'll be damned if you touch her again!" Edward hissed.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" I screamed. "What is going on here?"

"You're pussy of a boyfriend won't change you to save your life." Eric responded glaring at the back of Edward's head.

"Not in front of God and everyone. I had plans, I don't want to disrespect her like this." Edward begged.

"What about what I want, Edward? I don't want to go with them all weak and human. And it sounds like if you don't do it, Aro will. I refuse to have his chompers on me for eternity!" I quit crying to get angry. "There's always an excuse!"

"Bella, I'll do it, and I'll release you if you wish, but I'll do this, for you." Eric purred. He almost had me convinced, but I couldn't see myself having to be a slave to the night. And if I was completely honest I wanted Edward's teeth on me, sealing us as one, marking me for eternity. But, when did I ever truly get what I wanted?

Edward's eyes flashed and something on his face finally scared the ever living shit out of me. I didn't have much time to concern myself with it, though, because suddenly I was out of Demetri's grasp and in Edward's. He had one arm securing my back to his front and the other gripping my now seriously damaged hair. Before I could even made a sound his teeth were sinking into the side of my neck and his tongue was licking up the mess he made.

"Edward?" I asked as he turned me in his arms just in time for white hot searing pain to rip right through me. "Oh God!" His eyes were black, and he was rigid from holding his breath, he looked like a demon.

**EPOV**

From the moment that Jane's head hit the ground I knew I chose wrong. I never should have killed her, Aro would not be forgiving. Eric hissed as Bella's head hit the ground and he helped Sookie drag her to the back. Unfortunately, that left Lafayette and myself to greet the Volturi. I hoped Eric would stay in the back, if one of us had to die, so be it, but to leave Bella without either of us would have just been cruel. I wasn't so lucky, however, and he reappeared in the bar after a moment only for Lafayette to make a run for the back.

I did everything I could to distract them from doing a search of the bar, but it still surprised me that they would waste their time on my lies. Eric wasn't much of a help, seeing as he was ripe and ready for battle, one he would most definitely lose. It was an enormous distraction smelling his arousal to the situation.

"Where is she?" Aro asked, and I honestly wasn't sure who he meant seeing as both Bella and Jane were nowhere in sight.

"Who?" I asked, looked to Eric hoping he'd just stand there and stay quiet.

"Bella." He grinned.

"She isn't here." I replied.

"Then why are you?" Aro questioned.

"I heard Jane was harassing the patrons here." I shrugged. It wasn't an outright lie, but if he were to touch me he'd know the truth. Therefore I kept a good distance from him.

"And where is my Jane?" Whatever he was on about with these questions was slightly helping our situation. It was buying us time, but once this one was answered all bets were off. I just hoped someone had the sense to drag Bella out of here undetected.

"Edward ripped her head off. Had he not done it, I would have. She was causing quite a scene." Eric interjected with a fang toothed smile. I groaned under my breath, what was he doing?

"You destroyed my Jane?" Aro began to dry sob all over the bar. It was quite a show, but it was also quite a psychotic break. This was not going to end well. "For the good of our kind, I order you to change Bella. Since you obviously cannot be trusted to do so without our intervention, we insist that this be done immediately. We will keep her with us to guide her in the ways of our kind as you evidently no longer respect our laws." And with a final smirk he added, "I could just kill you now for all the laws you have broken, but I'm not sure our dear old friend Carlisle would appreciate that. Thank your Daddy for your right to live if not for one more day."

As soon as the order was given Felix and Demetri were bringing out their prisoners. _Fucking Bill_, was Eric's thoughts on the subject. I couldn't agree more.

On more than one occasion I feared for my Bella's safety, but never in my life had I feared for it more than on this night. I hadn't hunted in days considering how depressed I was that she would leave me, and her blood - the scent heightened by her distress - brought the monster in me clawing back to the surface. If I bit now I'd surely kill her myself.

Demetri was drawing blood from his grip in her hair and I was conflicted on how to keep her alive, and Eric - the prick he is - stepped in yet again, offering to change her himself.

Something in me snapped. A voice louder than anything going on in that room growled 'if I can't have her, no one can' and I latched onto her and bit. The minute her exquisite blood pooled in my mouth I knew I had to stop it. Using all the will power and restraint I had ever had in all of my existence I licked the wound closed, encasing her delicious scent inside the skin.

When I turned her to me all I saw in her beautiful brown depths was fear and I collapsed with her to the bar floor in nearly as much pain as she was in. _God up above, if you still hear beasts like me, take her pain away give it to me. Help me keep her alive_.


	18. And This Would Be Hell, FYI

_A/N: Well, the characters did not shut up until I posted the next chapter, so here it is. SLCURWIN gets Alcide, Eric and cookies until the end of time for rushing this out for me! She's the best beta ever, have I said this yet! Remember, this is an alternate universe, and characters are OOC. THERE IS A BIT OF A WARNING. THERE WILL BE VIOLENCE - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Also, remember that this is a mix between TB and SVM and TWILIGHT. I own nothing and I am sad because of it. I hope you enjoy this! Please R&R and let me know what you think! Also, Saturday the 24th is my birthday. Yes, I am selfishly asking for love and attention, so make this a good birthday for me and give me lots of reviews and love! I swear I'll never ask again!_

_OK, carry on! Enjoy!_

* * *

. . .And This Would Be Hell, FYI. . .

**BSPOV**

The burning wasn't something I could ever have imagined. It was like stepping into white hot embers and rolling around in them while drinking jet fuel with a lit match as a chaser. It was outside and inside my skin. Every searing breath I took I thought my throat would close from the blistering heat.

Somewhere in my mind I realized we had been moved. It was also possible that we had flown and were now in Italy, but to open my eyes it was like branding my retinas so I couldn't be sure. Trying to keep myself calm was hard to do, I didn't want to upset Edward and I didn't want Eric to think I was a wuss, but Jesus FUCKING Christ, I couldn't stand it!

"Oh, Bella, please love, talk to me. I know it hurts, God I know it hurts. Please, tell me you're OK." Edward's sullen voice permeated the loud ringing in my ears.

"Why is she thrashing around like that? All you did was bite her, for the love of God, Edward. Your girlfriend is a big baby." Bill Compton. If I had the strength to stand and beat him I would, but as it was I was barely able to stay conscious. Although, I'm sure the venom was keeping me from going into shock. Oh happy day. . .

"She's working my venom through her fragile veins. It's like I set her on fire, and she'll be like this for at least three days. She is not a big baby." Edward growled. I groaned causing Edward to grip my arms and hold me to him.

_Hi, I'm on fire, think you could remove me from your clutches, asshat_. I thought with a tortured moan.

"I am so sorry, Love, please forgive me! It was for your own good. . ." Edward was cut off with a loud smack.

"Fucking moron! You wait to do this until your rulers force you? And now you are sorry and pitiful and pathetic? Had you allowed _me_ to change her she would not have been in any pain. In fact, the whole act before she would die would be nothing but utter pleasure." I could tell Eric was grinning, he was probably proud of himself that his way was the 'better' way. Although, had I not been burning alive I may have been turned on by the prospect.

"OHMYGODSHUTTHEFUCKUP!" I screamed. My voice didn't necessarily sound like my own, but then again I don't think I had ever been in this much pain before in my life. Not even when everything was broken after my latest cliff dive. Everything went quiet and I sighed, painfully.

"You're going to let a human speak to you like that?" Bill freaking Compton.

"I will rip your flesh from your muscles, your muscles from your bones, and play pickup sticks with your bone shards if you do not listen to the woman and stay silent." Eric's voice was quiet and calculated and for the love of all that was holy - why couldn't I enjoy it?

"You have no power over me here!" Bill replied. I pictured him puffing out his chest like a malnourished albino gorilla .

_The Labyrinth is after me_, was my next not so coherent thought.

"I wouldn't care if we were in orbit. I am your sheriff and you will respect me, Compton. Is this clear?" Eric snarled.

"Please, let Bella rest, she's in excruciating pain because of me and I already feel guilty enough. Causing her to suffer further would be highly insensitive of all of us." Edward warbled.

I had had enough of this shit. In order to block out their incessant retardation I took to screaming.

**ENPOV**

"See what you've made her do?" I looked at the both of them. Edward was in the corner staring at Bella with his legs up to his chin, his hands clawing at his face while he rocked back and forth like he was touched in the head. Bill was standing tall in the other corner of our large cell looking too proud and too disconnected for my liking considering what was going on.

"Edward, you're a pussy. Bill, you're an asshole. Both of you shut up before I find a way to kill you both." I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed.

How was it that I, Eric Northman, 1000 year old Viking God would be allowed to be captured and imprisoned in a dungeon with these two morons? And why in the _fuck_ was Bella still _screaming_? Perhaps if I gave her some of my blood she'd shut up for a moment so I could think.

I walked over to her and crouched down. Edward ceased his incessant rocking to hiss at me, so I glared at him. "Lover, if you want you can stop screaming. I know it must be painful, but screaming isn't going to make it any better. I could kill these two if you wanted? Would that make you happy?" I smiled at her and stroked her cheek. She stopped screaming and shook her head 'no'. _Damn_.

"How dare you! How would Sookie feel if she found out you killed the man she loves?" Bill grumbled behind me. I was up and in his face instantly.

"From the way she sent you out as bait I can't imagine she'd care all that much. And with you dead, how could you deny it when I told her these little glow worms did it? And when she's sad for you, I'll be there to comfort her and be her shoulder to cry on and when she's ready I'll be there to replace you." I sneered.

"Oh, so you didn't even truly want Bella? That must hurt her terribly knowing that you only used her for her body." Edward whined. Bella screamed again but then quieted instantly.

I moved to him next and picked him up by the throat. "She wouldn't have even heard my exchange with that sack of shit over there had you not announced it to the world you raving lunatic!" Finally, all was quiet and I had time to look around and assess our situation. The cell we were in had silver bars and concrete walls, but the dungeon itself was cobblestone, as if whatever was above us was just above an old stone street from centuries ago. It was quite beautiful, and I would compliment them on the place if I wasn't a prisoner in it.

But, then again, these vampires didn't seem to have much sense at all. As Bella wriggled around on the floor, barely breathing probably because the pain was taking it away from her, I tried to listen out. It would be nice to hear something, perhaps know where we were at the moment. Unfortunately for me, when they decided to move us, it was close to dawn and both Bill and I were being called to our day death. How convenient that the Volturi would have a light tight vehicle to move us.

Within the eight to twelve hours that I was dead to the world we had been moved and put in this shit hole. Perhaps someone would come to see if we were still playing nice and not killing each other. Or, perhaps they didn't care and I would never know where we were exactly, though I assumed we were in Italy already. I hadn't been to _lo__ stivale_ in ages, and when I was I had a short fling with a nun.

Shrugging, I sat down in another corner and attempted to fade out until something new and exciting happened. It was a bit humorous looking around the small square of a room, though. If I didn't know any better I'd think I was in a psychiatric hospital with three roommates. The girl in my opposite corner who twitched and flung herself around because of 'the voices', the tool in my adjacent corner between Bella and myself who curled into the tiniest ball possible as he rocked back and forth. If he'd mumble that would be exquisite! And let's not forget the lunatic in the last corner staring at the silver bars as if his mind could bend them out of his way for an escape route.

I wished he'd touch them.

With his dick.

"Edward, stop rocking the boat." I grinned. Perhaps they weren't the crazy ones, perhaps I was finally losing it after all these centuries. No, no, it was them. It had to be. He glared up at me just long enough to hiss weakly at me and then continued clawing his face off. I just shook my head at him. "I don't know what Bella sees in you! I honestly don't know what is wrong with this whole picture! Bella is in love with the sparkle fairy and Sookie is in love with the Not So Glorious Dead over there and all I have is a cheekily named night club for blood bags. If Pam were here she still wouldn't believe the shit that's gone on in here. And she reads Dear Abby!"

"It's been nearly twenty four hours since we were at the bar. Bella will probably be through the change in 48 more hours." Edward switched gears and waxed something similar to normal only to turn around and go back to the ball of insanity again. I raised an eyebrow at him, at least I got some information. Hell, I thought I'd never know, perhaps this fool could be of use after all.

"If only we could get these bars down. . ." Bill. I just stared at him, I had absolutely nothing to say. After a thousand years I couldn't find one single verb, noun, adjective, nothing. "Then we could try to overpower the guards and get out of here."

Found them. . .

"What in the fuck is wrong with you? How in the fuck are we going to get the bars out of our way? Do you know magic? Are you a wizard? Can you _Harry Potter_ us out of this situation? Why don't you reach out and try bending them yourself? Perhaps with the exertion you'll fart out a partronus to assist. You are vampire, though sometimes I have doubts. We're stronger than metal, remember?" I couldn't take this anymore. Being locked away with these three would drive me out of my mind. Of course, Bella couldn't really do anything about her situation so I didn't blame her, but these two were going to be the death of me. I wasn't sure what was worse, this or the _Harry Potter_ movie marathon Pam forced me into watching last week.

Bill nodded at me and reached out, gripped two bars as tightly as he could and... Screamed like a sissy girl.

"Oh, so they _are_ silver, interesting that they would know that about us, huh?" I feigned innocence.

*CL*

**BSPOV**

I wasn't sure how long the guys decided to stay quiet. I couldn't imagine being too long, they didn't seem to be the kind who could keep from jabbing each other. I hoped it had been a while so that I didn't have much more burning to do.

Thinking of that I realized I had a lot more room in my head to think and push aside the burning sensation, and I could feel my hands and feet had cooled. This was promising. I tried opening my eyes and hissed out in pain. _OK, so the eyes are still sore_, I thought.

"Bella, you should be nearly done soon, love. Demetri came down to let us know it's been just over 72 hours since we left." Edward reassured me. _Well, that's swell_, I thought. I heard Eric chuckle further away and Bill hiss. Perhaps they were at it again?

"If I were able to feed I'd be healed by now and you know it." Bill rambled. My ears perked, what had I missed.

"Or, perhaps your own body is repulsed by you and wants nothing to do with you, therefore it will effectively die away slowly." Eric replied. How could he be in such a decent mood? We were kidnapped and brought to Italy to face what was probably certain death. None of that seemed cool.

As I considered murdering all three of them simply because I was exhausted and sore and felt run over by a Mac truck my body began to cool, but the pressure in my chest intensified.

"Ugh! Fuuuck!" I moaned. I swore my heart was going to bust right out of my chest and dance around the room. It beat and beat, and by the time it was at warp speed everything stopped, even time, as I heard absolutely nothing in the room anymore. No voices, no movement, no heart beat.

It was over. I was changed. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room. My body had a mind of its own as I slammed myself up against the wall keeping as much distance between these three threatening beings as possible. I recognized them, but didn't. Edward was stunning and Eric and Bill seemed to glow slightly in a way I never noticed before. Eric was gorgeous and Bill was even uglier than I had first thought. Damn, vampire sight was something special!

"Bella, it's OK. You know us, and you know that Eric and Bill aren't as unbreakable as we are. You'd feel terrible if you hurt them." Edward explained to me.

"Not exactly." I purred as I flitted to Bill and slapped him so hard across the face I heard bones cracking and blood splattered against the wall. "That's what you get for calling me a big baby." I smacked the other side of his face, "And that's for treating Sookie like shit!" He crumpled to the floor, the back of his head lolling back until it touched the silver bars and he started steaming and smoking and screaming. "Huh, that's why you were screaming earlier. Silver." I said, mainly to myself.

"Hello, Lover." Eric swooned as he strutted over to me with a little pep in his step. "You look stunning."

"Yeah, thanks. What's this burning?" I looked to Edward and he frowned.

"You're thirsty. Hopefully someone will feed you soon before you get a little cranky." Edward answered.

"You could drink Bill." Eric offered. I raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Oh no you don't! I am vampire, you can't drink my blood without consequences." Bill snarled, raising his hands out trying to ward me off.

"But, I'm vampire, how could it do anything to me?" I asked, tilting my head.

"You'll turn to stone, haven't you heard that before?" Bill went on.

"Um. . . I am stone." I winked. "See, super strength and stuff!" I demonstrated my awesomeness by reaching out and cracking away the top half of one of the silver bars.

"That means nothing to me! And besides, you wouldn't do that to Sookie!" Bill looked smug. I just rolled my eyes.

"You know, Love, you are even more beautiful than you were human and that's saying a lot, considering you've always been the most beautiful woman to me." Edward swooned. I just smiled and nodded. I still didn't know exactly what to do about these guys. They were both so different and I loved most everything about both of them, it would be hard to choose.

"I never doubted your beauty, human or vampire. Though fangs would have really improved things!" Eric grinned. I chucked the silver bar at him knowing he'd probably dodge it and I was right. Unfortunately, Bill was too busy brooding at the wall to notice the deflected projectile and it hit him straight through the back.

"SHIT!" I screamed, my eyes wide.

"Oh, poor Bill." Eric sighed with a cheeky grin.

"Poor Sookie! What the hell am I going to tell her?" I cried.

"What is all of this noise down here?" A Volturi guard came down to our little slice of heaven. He took one look at Bill -or the goo that was Bill - and the missing bar and hit a button on a device on his belt and an alarm sounded throughout the dungeon. We all took an attack stance waiting for what was to come.

Moments later out waltzed the three stooges again. When Aro saw The Blob in our cell he clapped his hands and skipped over to us all giddy like with a huge wrinkly smile plastered on his face. "Well done!"

I raised an eyebrow.

"You all must be starving. Please, come with us to dinner, we'll discuss what's next for our newest vampires." Aro grinned. But, somehow, no matter how sweet he was being, I just couldn't believe he wouldn't kill my guys.

Once we were out of our cell and up in the throne room I had visited not too long ago to save Edward a large group of tourists flooded in. Some even had children. I looked at Aro and whispered, "I can't do this, not the children. Can't you send the families away?"

"Come now, Bella! Innocence tastes the best." He replied, a glint in his blood red eye. I shivered. I couldn't do it, and now I worried he'd make me. Wasn't there a law against this somewhere? Or had these guys finally gone batshit crazy? Either way, it didn't seem that any sense was going to be knocked into them in time to save these innocent kids.

"Even I won't drink from children." Eric hissed, fangs out.

"You all will do what we say, or you will all suffer the consequences. And trust me when I say that you will dearly wish you had chosen this. . .far more palatable alternative." Aro ordered. I wanted to cry. Eric straightened and looked at me, I just nodded. At this point it was better to agree than to be on their bad side. You can't fight crazy, ever heard of retard strength?

It only took about ten minutes for the twenty-some tourists to be killed and I felt my soul leave my body as I was dragged to the child on the floor. Felix had his hands around my neck and I knew that if I didn't do this he would kill me. Though the prospect of dying was sounding sweeter than living with the knowledge that I drained a child, I wasn't ready to go yet.

I reluctantly took a little boy in my hands. Edward had done his first, to get it over with, and Eric did the same. I couldn't bring myself to until there was no other option left. Closing my eyes and attempting to think the child in my grip was some sort of animal barely kept me from going insane.

I had to believe that God knew this was happening, that he knew this would be the end for these people. Perhaps this child's parents abused him, or weren't around and he was terribly lonely. Somehow his life wasn't worth living any longer. That's how I was able to put his neck to my mouth, even then I felt as if bile was rising in my throat. But, after a moment I just realized it was the burn of thirst. I was no longer a human, and no longer worthy of anything good.

Once it was over, I felt nothing.

"Now, Bella we have a room all set up for you here in the castle, Felix will lead you to it. Edward is also able to stay, and because of how well you behaved I'll even let him stay with you. This excuse for a vampire will go back down to the dungeon." Aro smiled as his henchmen cleaned up the bodies and blood that was missed.

"No, I want Eric with me, too!" I begged. He needed to be in my sight. I wouldn't allow him to be alone for fear these monsters would hurt him.

"You must pick one, Bella." Aro replied, sounding annoyed. I felt like I was shot in the chest. Hadn't I dreamt this? It was a bit different, wasn't it? But I still had to choose between them. If I knew anything about my dreams I knew that I should pay attention and take them into consideration when these weird déjà vu moments occurred.

"If I can't have both, I don't want either." I replied, my heart breaking for them both. I only hoped this was the right choice, and as I turned to go with Felix I heard Eric's fangs retract and I swore I heard Edward sigh 'no'.

* * *

**TRANSLATION: _lo__ stivale_ MEANS THE BOOT, a nickname for Italy.**


	19. What A Nightmare!

_A/N: OK, lots of notes here on this chapter. _

_1: I do not own any of the characters from SVM, True Blood, or Twilight. _

_2: The news 'clippings' are completely made up from the title, writer and story. I have absolutely NO idea if there are random Civil War soldiers buried about Louisiana, I got the idea from info I learned on a ghost tour in Savannah, GA three years ago. In Savannah there is a large cemetery in the center of town. When workers were doing construction on the streets or sidewalks they would find random bodies. They would have to report it, protect the body, and the re-bury it and build on or around it keeping it intact. SO, that may or may not be a falsehood of Louisiana, but it seemed like a good idea for one of these 'clippings'. _

_3: Also, I owe so much to my beta, __**Slcurwin**__. I really, truly hated this chapter when I sent it to her and thought about scrapping it all, but with her help we've made it work. THANK GOD (or Eric, whichever…). Oh, and I went ahead and posted this before sending it back to her for one final look-see so any mistakes are mine. :)_

_4: I hope you all enjoy and remember, this is AU so, please, especially this chapter (for my sanity) read and review and be HONEST! Thanks all! Love you guys for taking the time to read my crazy story!_

* * *

**THE DEAD RISE**

_Johnny Johnson, Forks Post_

They call it "The Great Revelation". We call it a nightmare. As of Dusk this evening vampires are proving that not only are they real, but that they mean no harm. Thanks to a Japanese synthetics company they now have a synthetic blood that will sustain their way of living so that they can "come out of the coffin" and walk amongst the living. Many people are frightened and want the Government to do something about this new development. Can we really live amongst vampires and still keep our children safe? Call us at 1-800-555-1212 and let us know what you think. You may even be featured in tomorrow's paper.

**CSPOV**

"No the hell I won't be calming down! What the hell does this mean? You're all vampires and other vampires stole my daughter? Well, listen up Dr. BLOOD, I am an officer of the law and I will take you down - or stake you as the case may be - for taking my baby away from me! I always thought there was something wrong with you lot, now I know. Bunch of blood sucking parasites! I can't believe you work at the hospital! What is wrong with you. . .you. . .THINGS? And then the 'younger ones' are in the high school with all the kids? Oh no, that's not flying with me. Where's that little shit who brain washed my daughter? Does she know? Does she know what you things ARE?" I could just strangle him through the phone. Carlisle Cullen, the wonderful Dr. Cullen. Super surgeon. Chief of Staff. Well, not anymore if I had anything to do with it.

And where was Bella? This was all her mother right here, I would guarantee it. Only that woman could pass down stupid, immature, flighty traits like this to her own child. That's got to be a form of abuse, right?

"I had nothing to do with this outing. You have to admit, you always had a little bit of a clue, didn't you? Charlie, we love your daughter, we'd never hurt her! You must trust us." Carlisle's relaxed I'm-a-smooth-super-star voice came through the other end.

"Let me tell you something, Carlisle. If there's so much as a hair out of place on my baby girl I will find a way to end you. Do you hear me, Mister?" And I slammed the receiver down. How could my daughter be so stupid? How could she risk her safety over a boy? A dead one, at that? I had to find her, and I had to find her now.

As I reached for my holster off the coat hanger on the wall by the door I stopped. Were Jacob and his people vampires too? They seemed to have quite the issue with the Cullens, perhaps they were on their turf, like drug cartels. What the hell was Bella into? Did she have a drug problem? I'd find out, and I'd find out about the Black's too. Someone was going to start talking or I was going to start shooting!

*CL*

**HEARTLESS NEIGHBORS**

_Peggy Smith, Louisiana Central_

Don't worry about that guy next door that won't cut his lawn. He's the last of you problems now, people of Louisiana! We've got the dead in our back yards. And I'm not talking about those Civil War bodies no one likes to talk about! Vampires! Vampires have been lurking in our shadows for all time, and it's time for them to pay taxes just like everybody else. This is why there's been the Vampire Revelation. That's right, people! Blood draining, heartless, cold, corpse people will be moving on in next door to y'all! Don't worry, though, from the rumors they can't actually come in without an invitation. Huh, perhaps we should have build walls around our great state and said "No thank you dead people, we don't want any!" Too late now, just deal with it, I guess. At least that's what it feels like to us here at LC paper! If you've got a comment, please call us toll free at 1-888-THAT-WAK and let us know what you _really_ think!

**SSPOV**

"Is it not bad enough that your kind is being blasted all over the TVs and radios, but now we got the paper going out, too! It's like the trifecta for the ignorant! There's gonna be riots! I wish the four of them would just come back already! I'm so worried about Bella, and of course the guys, that I just don't know what to do with myself! Do you think those freaks will hurt them?" I looked around, expecting Pam to answer me, but she was sitting at Eric's desk with her face on the desk top.

"Please, Sookie, shut the FUCK up!" She groaned and lifted herself dramatically from Eric's chair. "I can feel something's wrong, OK? I know your precious Bill and Bella and her moron Ed-whatever and Eric are probably somewhere in deep trouble and you're worried about random idiots causing a riot? I'll single handedly kill 'em all if that's what you're going on about. I've got enough frustration to level a town, just point me in their direction."

"Do you think this revelation will make it a little easier with that group of vamps Bella's been running from? I hear the big rule is no humans can know what they are. . . Well, surprise! We do now!" I smiled my Sookie-is-super-nervous smile and Pam glowered at me.

"I'm sure they're totally worried about just that. I'd kidnap four vampires just for telling a human we were vampire. NO, Sookie, that's not going to help. From the sound of it these lunatics are way passed general law." Pam was really not happy with me, and that made me nervous because I really didn't want her on my bad side since it was just us two girls trying to figure this out.

"What about Godric? Think he knows where they took 'em?" I braved one more question and that's when Pam put her whole arm through Eric's desk, leaving it in two perfect halves.

"Actually. . . Now that this has cleared up some frustration. . . That may actually work! And, while I'm contacting Eric's maker get online and order Eric a new desk? He'd be furious if he knew you broke it." Pam grinned.

"I didn't break it, and he'll know that!" I gaped.

"Oh, but you did." She said and left the room. _Damn it, Pam_. . .

*CL*

**BSPOV**

I was pacing, I don't think I had been more concerned about anything ever before. Eric and Edward would have to fend for themselves right now, if I showed any interesting either of them the Volturi would use that to their advantage. I only hoped Alice would see something and perhaps get enough words in edge wise with Pam and Sookie so that they could prepare a way to get us out of this mess.

The truth of the matter was that I was much more concerned for Eric. Eric could bleed, and all it would take was any form of sharp object - at the least - to end him. I wasn't ready to let that happen because of me. I never should have gotten close to them, I should have ran, I should have begged Eric to kill me when he scooped me up off the ground that first night. Now, because I hadn't, everyone I cared about was in danger. Long gone was the want to be sarcastic and play things off like they didn't matter and use a snarky attitude to hide my real feelings. I was terrified, and I was mad at myself for putting us all here. Perhaps I could give myself up to free Edward and Eric, then my conscience would be cleared.

"Isabella!" Aro's nasty voice brought me out of my reverie. I didn't move, but I did scowl at the wall.

"It's Bella." I replied.

"Bella it is, then. Would you mind explaining to me why you disobeyed orders given to you by Marco and Polo?"

"Would you mind explaining why you would name them that? I swear it's the cheesiest thing I have ever heard." I retorted.

"I found it funny! Not that it's any of your business, really. Now, explain yourself." Aro ordered.

"Well, considering when you kidnapped me I was still human, I didn't have to abide by your orders! I ran because they threatened to kill me, and I really wasn't in the mood for that, either. I ran because you are the last person I ever wanted to see again." I answered, turning to face him. He had insisted I put on a crimson Victorian gown with black lace accents and my hair had to be up off of my neck.

"You look stunning, dear." He clapped his hands and bounced in place a little. I rolled my eyes. "Befitting of royalty."

"You're joking!" I snapped. "What the hell kind of game are you playing at? I want you to let us go! I'm changed, the deed has been done, we are free to go and you know it."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Bella you're not going anywhere. You will stay and we will figure out what your special talent is. We will hone it to what the Volturi needs and if you play nice I'll let you keep Edward as a consort.

"Excuse me?" My voice became very tiny. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

"You're a remarkable, unique, and quite a beautiful young woman and I'm in charge, so I choose you to be my mate and to keep you happy I'll let you have Edward as your consort. Lord knows it would be stupid of me to think you'd actually love me! And I can't handle a hysterical woman, so giving you your beloved will make things easier all around." Aro explained. "Now, come with me to the throne room, there is much you must learn."

*CL*

**ECPOV**

"Something isn't right. . ." Eric mumbled as he paced the cell we were in - again - like a caged bear.

"Obviously." I scoffed. He had disrespected me enough for five lifetimes and Bella was doing God knew what, God knew where. I wasn't in the mood for him, considering I was depressed enough for all of us. "I should have sacrificed myself so she could go free."

"That wasn't an option, Emoward. I can oblige though, if the idea is still there." He grinned at me and continued his back and forth.

"Who do you think you are? You're just a high-handed, conniving, selfish bastard. Do you even care what happens to Bella?" I growled.

"That's really cute, that sound right there, and of course I care about what happens to Bella. Up until about five minutes ago she seemed angry, but safe. All of a sudden she was disgusted, pissed off, scared and sad. Something's happened and I want to know what it is. Can't you send you're spider sense around and see if someone knows what's happening to her?" Eric countered. I wanted to stake him with a cell bar for his sarcasm, but he had a bit of a point.

"How do you know she's feeling all of that? I can't even read her mind and she's my mate!" I exclaimed.

"Minor blood exchange." Eric flicked his hand like it was nothing important.

"You get all that from one blood exchange? If I knew all of that happened I certainly wouldn't have let it happen." I said.

"Well, that's not all that happened, but I don't kiss and tell, Edmund." Eric grinned wickedly and I had a sudden urge to rip his head off of his shoulders.

"Fuck you! And my name is Edward!" I shouted. Eric's eyes widened.

"Temper, temper! And since when do you use such foul language, Mr. Proper?" He laughed.

"You are five seconds away from your own death, I'd watch my tongue if I were you." I hissed.

"You need my assistance, get over yourself, child." Eric growled. I just rolled my eyes and plopped down in the corner. There was no reasoning with that archaic bastard.

"Good evening prisoners." Demetri sauntered over to our cell with a bright smile on his face. "I've been told to offer you both meals, and to tell you that Bella and Aro are to be married. Don't worry Edward, I think he'll have a nice little place for you with the rest of the whores."

"How dare you!" I was at the cell bars instantly ready to rip his head from his body.

"I do believe there is the small issue of Bella being Mine, causing a problem with that union." Eric's voice came from behind me and I blinked, perhaps he had something.

"I'm not aware that Aro has been informed of this. I will certainly let him know, Mr. Northman. Until then just sit tight and I'll bring you fresh meat." He winked and sauntered back out of view.

"Eric, you may have something with that after all." I whispered.

"Of course I do, you moron! Why do you think Bella and I did that in the first place? For fun? Of course, it was quite fun. . ." He trailed off with a low chuckle.

"I swear if you didn't have a use you'd already be sludge." I snapped and placed myself back in the corner.

*CL*

**BREAKING NEWS ALERT**

MISSING PERSON ALERT: 18 year old female named Bella Swan from Forks, Washington. She was last seen with her boyfriend, Edward Cullen and his family - a group of vampires - on September 13th. She is Caucasian with long, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes. She stands about five foot two and is approximately one hundred pounds. If you have any information on her whereabouts or who she may be with please contact us, toll free, and anonymously, at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Anyone with information leading to the safe return of Bella Swan will receive a $10,000 reward.

**SSPOV**

This was getting out of hand, someone had put out a missing person's alert on Bella at the exact wrong time. I could only assume it was her father, he was the only one she spoke about that wasn't already aware of her whereabouts.

Toying with the idea of looking him up and calling him I heard someone knock at the door. Walking over, not really having my mind on the present, I opened the door and squeaked a little. There were four vampires standing there, two I had met before, and they looked very upset. "Can I help you?" I asked, throwing on my signature crazy smile.

"Uh, you could start by telling us what happened to Bella and Edward." Alice huffed as she pushed her way - unceremoniously through my door - and the rest followed into my kitchen. "I'm not usually this straight forward, and I don't usually just barge into people's homes, but this is a strange circumstance, you agree?"

"I don't know if I do! I realize y'all don't have the same rules the other vamps do, but I would have expected the same respect." I folded my arms over my chest and glared.

"Right, that's not respect, that's just something they have to do." A tall blonde bombshell of a woman scoffed.

"Who are you people?" I hollered.

"Excuse them, Ma'am, but we're Edward's kin. I'm Jasper, this is Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie. And you're quite right, my rude wife could have waited for an invitation in. It would have only been polite, darlin'." He directed the end of his explanation to Alice.

"Well I see someone here has some manners, now please, come sit down so we can talk." I smiled a little warmer at this Jasper. _Southern men were always so respectful, dead or alive_, I thought.

"So, explain to us what happened to Edward and Bella?" Alice jumped in again. "I can only see so much. I don't know if it's because of where we are or if there's some kind of interference, but I've got almost nothing."

So, there I went explaining all of the details to these four vampires about what happened the night at Merlotte's and how not only Edward and Bella were taken, but Eric and Bill were, too. Jasper seemed to be in deep concentration, and everyone else seemed on the verge of screaming at me, but for some reason they just weren't. I pressed my feelers out and could get a little and by the look of it Jasper was somehow messing with their feelings. "Hey, what are you doing?" I asked, and as soon as I asked he seemed to stop what he was doing and the other three began talking all together, really super fast. It kind of sounded like a swarm of bees.

"Trying to keep them calm enough to not start breaking things, Ma'am." Jasper nodded with a smile. I raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, my name's Sookie, and thanks, I kind of love my house." I laughed nervously. "Anyway, I'm just waiting for dark so I can see if Pam was able to get a hold of Godric so we can form a plan."

"Why would they know anything?" Alice asked.

"From what I understand - Bella has spoken to me about some of it, anyway - Godric somehow knew these kidnappers. He may know how to get them back." I explained. What was with this girl?

"Fine, we will wait here." Alice harrumphed. "But we already know who took them, so this seems downright stupid."

*CL*

"Are you having a party, Sookie? Why was I not formally invited?" Pam asked as I let her in the front door, Godric was smiling contently behind her as he followed her in. Pam was wearing a light grey pencil skirt and suit jacket combo with pale pink blouse underneath that had a pretty, thin tie attached. Her hair was up in a smart pony tail with her bangs bumped up and pulled back. It was night and day with Pam between Fangtasia and her 'non Fangtasia' wear. The shoes she was wearing I guessed cost a fortune and were light grey and pink plaid peep toed stilettos. I shook my head, I'd probably fall and kill myself in those shoes. Godric was in his usual attire, a white pyjama like get up. I just smiled at them and led them to the kitchen where the other vamps had been waiting slightly patiently.

"Ah, I remember you." Godric smiled and nodded at Alice who sat up straight, eyes wide.

"You! You're the tiny psycho who nearly caused a scene at Fangtasia, and let me tell you how difficult that can be. What is all of this about, Sookie?" Pam drawled and glared at Alice.

"I can guarantee we're not the only ones looking for them and if we want to find them fast, we need all the help we can get!" I rolled my eyes. This was becoming one heck of a long day.

"The Volturi took them, Sookie. What could these two do to help? All they'd do is get in the way and probably get staked." Alice scoffed. At this Godric's face changed from content to alert.

"As in Aro Volturi? I spent some time with him and his coven a little over a thousand years ago. They were quite friendly, but weren't too keen on me taking up a residence near them. Apparently, feeding in their territory was forbidden. They let me leave without incident, though." Godric recalled. "Are they important vampires, like the Authority?"

"The who?" Emmett finally spoke.

"The Authority. We have Kings and Queens, Sheriffs, and the list goes on, but the Authority has power over them all. I would assume, even those in Italy." Godric explained.

"_Really_?" Alice's eyes sparkled and she rubbed her hands together. "Are you on a first name basis with this Authority?"

"No, I am not. But, we could request an audience with them. We could explain what happened and see if they can assist. Otherwise, we'll have to see if a bargain could be made." Godric said.

"And what about Bella's family? Shouldn't they have some information on what's going on? I'm sure they're aware of the Revelation. This could be a good time to tell them she's not missing anymore." I added, pushing the latest paper to the center of the dining table.

"We thought of that, and Edward and Bella actually talked about that. Though we'd love to tell Charlie that his daughter is alive - which is a little bit of a fib now, don't you think - we shouldn't involve him yet. With her being taken by the Volturi, if we don't get her back she'll be forbidden to see him again. Or, worst case scenario, if they don't want her. . . It's best to leave sleeping dogs lie." Alice frowned. I could tell they all seemed to really care for Bella and her father, that warmed my heart. Until, that is, I looked at Rosalie.

"Here she goes messing things up for our family, again! When was the last time we had this much drama?" She asked, flipping her wavy blonde hair over her shoulder melodramatically.

"Rosalie! That's so mean, what did Bella ever do to you?" Alice hissed.

"Enough!" Pam shouted. "This Edward is a pussy, and Bill is useless, but I like Bella and Eric is my Maker so we will do all we can to free them. If you're uninterested, go the fuck home. There's only room for one blonde bitch, and I've been around a lot longer than you Cinderella."

"I will request a meeting with the Authority. Can you all be calm enough to strategize while I do this? Nothing gets done with an agitated frame of mind." Godric spoke. With that we shut up and seem to silently agree that a plan needed to be formed, and fast. I only hoped it wouldn't be too late for the four of them by the time we all got our crap together.


	20. Let's Get Retarded!

_A/N: FIRST of all. I have been nominated for Most Promising Cross Over for this little ditty. Whoever nominated me is a freaking GEM and you can go to my profile and check out my banner from the WIP Awards and also the link for where you can vote starting November 1st. Please, please, take a second of your time between November 1st and November 15th to cast your vote._

_I'd also like to thank SLCURWIN, she wasn't nominated, which is a crock (LOL), but she's the BEST BETA in the history of the World. At least my world. Thanks for being epic sweets! Eric and Godric sandwiches for you!_

_ANYWAY! Onward and upward, here's the next chapter!_

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**ENPOV**

For something as annoying as being locked away in a cell of silver I should have done something terribly wrong, but no, all I had done was get involved with a memory challenged pretty girl. Here I was, stuck and miserable with her emotional wreck of a - whatever he was - and trying to plot my escape. With or without that sparkle fairy. But, he could be useful.

"You, cry baby." I nodded in his direction and he glared at me, but it was weak with pathetic depression. "Look, you can break these bars and we can get out of here. If we work as a team we may even be able to get Bella back and get the hell out of this shit hole alive."

"We can't defeat them by ourselves, Eric. You can bleed and I haven't got the strength. I've fed, but up until then I haven't had human blood in decades. We need reinforcements." Edward moped.

"If we get to Bella we have them." My fangs descended at the anticipation of a good fight.

"Eric, she's unstable as it is. She's a newborn. Yes, she's strong, stronger than most of them I'm sure, but she's got no fighting skills. All of her instinctual fighting techniques would be assumed and she'd be ended quite quickly. We don't even know if she has a special talent." He explained.

"So how are we supposed to get out of here? Eventually they'll tire of us and end us. Bella walked away from the both of us for a reason." Edward scoffed at me, successfully cutting me off.

"How sure are you, Eric? She's left us before. She couldn't even decide between us here, perhaps she'll find it easier just to stay with the Volturi than deal with the two of us." He moaned. I raised an eyebrow in disgust.

"You are over a hundred years old, correct?" He nodded at me. "And you're sulking here after a girl? I'm over a thousand years old and I've been through a lot of women so when I tell you Bella is different, you may want to believe me."

"I won't break these bars until we have a sufficient plan, one that makes sense and one that's at least close to plausible. It will draw entirely too much attention to us." He resolved, standing and looking a little better than the kicked dog he channelled moments ago.

**BSPOV**

"This can all be yours, Isabella. Every last inch of this fortress. You'd rule with me, dine with me, enjoy everything you're meant to enjoy if you stay here with me. I only request you become my mate and you could have everything." Aro was on his whole 'I am the King of everything' speech again. I really, really hated this guy. He was even uglier with my new sight, his skin tissue thin, and seeming just as frail. I wondered if I ran a nail over his cheek if it would just tear apart.

"We have more money than God, and we have more power than He. We allow our kind to continue to exist. It's a privilege that we generously give, but just as easily can take away. In any other circumstance we would have simply ended everyone in that pathetic establishment we found you in, but you have promise. We have kindly allowed you and your. . . associates to exist. Do not take that for granted, Isabella."

"How do I know that if I agree to this you won't just go and end Edward and Eric? I don't want you, I could never be with you, why would you want me?" I asked, getting more and more depressed. How in the name of all that was right would we get out of this shit? Did anyone there know where we were? Would the Cullens help us?

"There's something delicious about you, Isabella. For you I'd do anything." Aro swore with a sparkle in his eye.

"Then let us all go. We've done nothing to warrant this. You kidnapped me knowing full well that I was going to be changed, Alice showed it to you. And Edward bit me in that bar, why not leave then? It was only vampires that witnessed it, we broke no laws. This is ridiculous. I never thought you were that crazy." I argued.

"I've wanted Alice and Edward for a long time. If keeping you here will bring them to my side, so be it." He growled.

"So you don't give two shits about me! You wouldn't do jack shit for me! You just want your own personal 'holy trinity'. Well, I'm sorry, but I refuse to be a pawn in your pathetic scheme. Might as well just end me here and now, because I refuse to be bartered for." And I launched myself at his neck. He moved just a smidge faster than me and had his hand around my neck, squeezing. I needed no air, but I could hear a cracking sound and went lip. _Shit! __I __wasn't __really __serious __about __this __whole __dying __thing,_ I thought and suddenly he stumbled back a few feet, staring wide eyed at his hand and back at me before he began cackling wildly. I grimaced.

"A shield. You're a shield! Oh happy day!" He clapped his hands and bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. "Isn't that precious? You'll come in handy, since I'm sure your little 'family' will be looking for you eventually. Come." And he grabbed me up by the hair and dragged me along. I figured he was going to put me back in my little room, so when we started descending stairs I got confused.

"Where are you taking me?" I hissed.

"I want to share this wonderful news with your friends." He was still laughing happily. "With you, we'd be untouchable, quite literally! I can't wait to perfect you!"

My mind began to run a marathon. What if I could protect Eric and Edward and make them untouchable? What if this could get us out of here? And contrary wise, what if I were to try to pull the shield back, could Edward hear me? _Oh __please, __please, __please __let __something __good __happen!__Please __hear __me, __Edward, __please!_ I was doing everything I could, shouting mentally, begging, crying out for him, but I had no idea if it would work. I'd have to try and recognize the feeling of my shield thing before I could tamper with it.

There were growls and hisses and when I tried to look down a little since my head happened to be pulled back pretty far what with Aro's fist in my hair. Eric was standing as close to the silver as he probably could get and Edward was gripping the bars, making them groan. "Release her!" He growled, my body betrayed me by shivering from the sensation. _Of __all __the __times __to __get __all __hot __and __bothered,_ I frowned.

"Should I release you, Isabella, will you behave?" Aro asked in his sickening sweet voice.

"I won't run back up the stairs and out the door if that's what you're referring to." I snapped. He laughed and let me go. I ran to the cell and gripped Edward's hand while looking worriedly at Eric. I reached for him so that he wouldn't have to put his hand near the silver and he squeezed slightly.

"I remember the Victorian era, you would have been the bell of the ball back then, Bella." Eric winked. I had nearly forgotten I was still in that stupid dress.

"I've brought our little treasure down here to tell you the good news! She's displayed a talent, one of great interest to me." Aro said from behind me.

"Bella?" Edward whispered, Eric looked on intently. "What can you do? What is it that he wants?"

"I. . .well, I guess I'm a shield?" It sounded more like a question at this point. "He choked me and I must have blocked him or something, because he just started giggling like a fucking maniac and said something about a shield."

"He choked you?" Eric rumbled, I just nodded. "What the fuck did you choke her for?"

"She attacked me." Aro replied flippantly. I worried my bottom lip.

"You attacked him, Bella?" Edward whispered. I just nodded.

"I mean, I didn't get too far. He got me before I really accomplished anything."

"Well done, I'm proud of you, Bella." Eric reassured, but I didn't feel very good about it, I mean, he could have easily killed me and then what then?

**SSPOV**

It was not until the next night at dark that we all gathered again. Pam and the Cullens - all of them - were in my kitchen. We were waiting on Godric and the Authority. As far as I knew these people never went anywhere. They just sent out orders and the orders were followed. There would be guards or soldiers or an advocate who would see the vampire, not the entire Authority. I hoped this was the case as I didn't need that much publicity, it was bad enough having the whole freaking world know there were vampires. It was even worse knowing that everyone in Louisiana knew. I couldn't go anywhere without someone I knew commenting about me and vampires.

So I said one thing about thinking the Revelation was a great idea. Lynch me!

"God, I wish I could see them! If I get my hands on that little Alec jerk I'll. . . I'll. . ." Alice brought me out of my little reverie with her exclamation, followed up with a feral snarl. Jasper rubbed her back and Rosalie rolled her eyes. Emmett looked pissed, like he wanted to fight someone. I hope it was this Italian group and not me.

The newest Cullens that I met were Carlisle and Esme, apparently they were the 'parents' of these other vampires. It was strange - even to me - to see such a big group of vampires in one coven. Course, they called it a family, but it was still strange.

"Alice, it is probably because they are so far away. Don't worry yourself, I'm sure they're all working together to find a way to get out." Carlisle assured.

"Hell no! They better just be docile little vampires! Four against the Volturi, and two that can bleed? No, they need to mind their own business and stay quiet." Emmett argued.

"Guys, um, Eric is over a thousand years old, I'm pretty sure he can take care of himself." I scoffed. I was getting tired of them making it seem like my kind of vampires were weak. I was getting a little offended!

"My, Sookie! No talk of Boyfriend Bill?" Pam grinned and I remembered suddenly that she was in the room. For some reason she was getting on my nerves more-so than usual.

"Bill can take care of himself, too." I folded my arms over my chest.

"Uh huh. Anyway, if something happens to my Maker I will personally set fire to each and every one of you disco balls, do you understand me?" Pam glowered.

"Sookie?" I whirled around to see Godric motioning to the front door with that whole serene thing going on so I headed that way with him and noticed two storm troopers - in black - and some tall leggy blonde with a very severe look on her face.

"Good evening, won't you all please come in?" I nodded, plastering my Crazy Sookie smile on my face. It never failed, every single time I got nervous this look would pop up. I'm sure they all thought I was nuts, but then again who wouldn't? Here I am, the only human in a house full of vampires. At least I could rescind my invitation, but really, could I do it faster than they could kill me? I don't think so! "Anyway, if you don't mind coming into the kitchen I could offer you some True Blood. These are the others, I'm not sure what Godric has told you, but we're all here for the same purpose," _I __think_, I smiled.

"Thank you, but we're fine Miss. . ." The blonde droned.

"Stackhouse, Sookie Stackhouse." I nodded knowing it was probably a bad idea to offer her my hand to shake. Vampires weren't all that into physical contact with humans unless it was a 'feed and fuck'. Hell, sometimes they didn't even do that. . . They just fed.

"And you all are?" She rolled her eyes.

"Miss Flannigan, This is Pam Ravenscroft, Eric's child, and these are the Cullens. They are the ones looking for Edward Cullen and Bella Swan." Godric explained.

"I am Carlisle Cullen and this is my wife, Esme. My children, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper. Edward is part of our family as is Bella, but they are missing." He nodded as he stood to greet her.

"What a splendid little family." Miss Flannigan replied sarcastically and they frowned but said nothing.

"So, what is all of this to do with the Authority? Please explain quickly, we do not have all night." She snapped and Godric began to explain what was going on.

He told her about Bella and her fall, he told her about how we had acquired her, and he told her how the Cullens had become involved. He told her about the Volturi and how they came and forced Edward to change Bella and how they took Edward, Bella, Eric and Bill. Miss Flannigan looked a little perturbed and quite annoyed.

"I will call the Authority and explain this. Please excuse me for a moment." And she left the house, presumably to be out of ear shot of all the other vampires.

"She is such a bitch!" Pam growled. "She is so self important. They could have anyone do the job she does, she isn't special. Perhaps she needs to be reminded of that."

"You go ahead and do that, we're just going to sit here and see what she says. Our brother and Bella are more important than your pride." Alice trilled.

"Nan is a good woman, she's just under a lot of stress I am sure. Being the correspondent for the Authority cannot be an easy task." Godric with his soothing demeanour and excuse for everything. He was beginning to annoy even me.

"We will be sending reinforcements and storm the Volturi. Of course, this will not happen for at least forty-eight hours. Tonight we will stop here, tomorrow evening we will plan and get an Anibus flight out to Italy where we will carry out our attack. The Authority seems to think these Italians feel they have more power than they should. Though your kind is a bit different than ours, the Authority is the. . .Authority, and what they say goes. The Volturi have been refusing to meet with them and will not discuss the. . . branches of power, if you will. It was only a matter of time before they went to visit them unannounced anyway, but being that a Sheriff has been kidnapped and possibly ended is unacceptable. They will either agree to our terms or they will die." Nan entered the room again, put her little silver phone in her pocket, explained the next few days to us, snapped her fingers and left - storm troopers followed close behind.

It must have been when they were far enough away from my house that Godric felt safe to speak because it was silent for what felt like an hour. "This is the best option."

"Um, Carlisle, will the Volturi give up easy?" I asked in a tiny voice.

"No, I'm afraid not. I hate to think there will be unnecessary killing, but if we want our friends and family back safe we must accept it." Carlisle sighed.

"Pamela, I have not felt anything, have you?" Godric smiled ruefully and Pam sniffed and blinked several times.

"No, thank you Godric. I needed that." She whispered, smiled and was gone.

"What was that?" I asked curiously.

"When a Maker or Child meets their final death their Maker or Child will feel it, and it is quite painful and also quite terrifying losing that bond that's been there for as long as you can remember." Godric explained.

"So Eric is still alive?" I smiled, much happier than I should have been.

"I'm quite certain, yes." Godric placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder and then turned to go. "We must work together on this, no questions. We must put our trust completely in the Authority for us to even have a chance, do you all understand?"

They all nodded silently and he smiled and left. I turned to look at the others and the Cullens had their heads together while Pam stood there looking at me calculatingly.

"Like I said, I have True Blood in the fridge." I twisted my fingers behind my back. She looked either pissy or hungry and I was hoping to dissuade her from chomping down on me.

"The Great Revelation went off without much of a hitch and Eric wasn't even here to see it. He probably doesn't even know it happened. The Volturi sound like a bunch of assholes and I'm going to enjoy killing a few of them. I may just bring a flamethrower as my carry-on. And you, Sookie, you've said not one thing about Bill. Could it be that you worry more for Eric?" She smirked.

"I worry most for Bella. The rest have been vampire for a while, she hasn't. She's like a little sister to me and I don't want anything to happen to her. Eric would be the most successful at protecting her in my opinion. Bill doesn't care about her and Edward seems too. . . to emotional." I replied.

"Edward may be emotional, but he loves Bella a whole lot. She's his mate whether she wants to admit it or not. Edward would die for Bella." Alice interrupted.

"Hence why Eric is the best asset. Though he cares for the little girl - why, I'll never know - he certainly wouldn't put feelings in the way of logic and strategic battle for survival." Pam snapped.

"Godric just said we all have to stick together and work as a team. You're not being very team oriented, Pam." Carlisle sighed.

"Look, Carlisle is it? My Maker is the only important issue here, so I could care less what happens over there as long as he comes out alive. Forgive me if I don't have the compassion of a lap dog, but I don't. This will be a vicious, deadly battle and a lot will go down. My only concern is Eric." She hissed and left.

"Oh good. This should be a lot of fun. Not to mention I bet I'm not even invited. Look, don't mind Pam. She's super loyal to Eric and that can make her a bitch when something's going on with him. She's been trained by a Viking warrior, I'm sure she'll be a tough opponent to beat." I said trying to smooth out Pam's outburst.

"Sookie, you're a good friend to Bella, but you're not a vampire and I'd hate for something to happen to you. I'm sure those of us who know you would be too worried you'd get hurt if you were there. You'd do us all a service if you stayed here out of trouble. And perhaps not at your house in case the Volturi want to retaliate before we get there and back." Carlisle said and I was catching flies.

"Do you think they'll know me and come after me?" I finally had the ability to speak.

"Sookie, it's the Volturi, their like the human Mafia, with super powers." Emmett grinned. I didn't know why this was something to smile about, but OK.

"Um, well, where should I go?" I mumbled.

"Somewhere you can't be traced." Jasper drawled.

"OK, perhaps Pam will let me stay at her house." I nodded.

"Don't worry about it this evening, we'll discuss it tomorrow. It seems this has taken a lot out of you, perhaps we will call it a night so you can rest. Emmett, please stay here and keep an eye on things." Carlisle smiled.

"Oh, no, I couldn't have you do that! I'm sure I'll be fine." I argued.

"Just like Bella." Alice snickered.

"It's no biggy. I don't sleep, so I'll be great for the job. When I hear you waking up I'll be out of here. You won't even know that I've been here." Emmett assured me.

"OK. . . Well, goodnight all." I waved weakly and watched everyone but Emmett leave.

By the time I had showered and fell into bed I was out.


	21. Stairway To Heaven

_A/N: OK, thanks muchly to my wonderful Beta, Slcurwin, whom totally rocks! ALSO, I got third place in the WIP Most Promising Cross Over award. I'm happy! *DOES HAPPY DANCE* I'm still just so excited that I was even nominated. And I want to thank those who voted for me. Means a lot._

_Now, without going on FOREVER: here's the next installment! I hope you all enjoy. And Happy Thanksgiving Week! Also, who saw Breaking Dawn part 1? LOL I loved it. There were some cheesy scenes but I really, truly loved it!_

_OK, really now. Please read and review and let me know what you think!_

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**EMMETT POV**

I felt like I should be starting a Captain's Log from _Star __Trek_ or something. We had discussed the plan to get our vampire brethren back and safe. The Authority figured they could just take it into their own hands, but Jasper, being a Civil War veteran decided he had some really swell ideas to add to the pot.

At one point, just to shut him up one of the Storm Troopers told him that unless he had battled vampires in the Civil War his theories were useless.

Honestly, I was shocked Jasper didn't protest. Really, as a human, how would one know if one was fighting with or against vampires back in the day? Sometimes I amazed myself with my utter wit and intelligence.

I told them that I was willing to be the muscle if necessary. I mean, look at me! I'm like six and a half feet tall and as big as a tank, stronger than one, but as big as one. They all kind of looked at me and then that weird chick Nan just shook her head at me with this odd look reminiscent of a parent appeasing a toddler. I am not a toddler. I'm like a hundred.

Getting back to the matter at hand I looked around on our super sweet private jet plane. Alice was frantically searching for our peeps and Rose was actively annoyed. Carlisle was reading a medical journal and Esme was crocheting what looked like a blanket. The sucker was almost done and she just started an hour ago. She must have been mega nervous. Jasper was pouting and rolling his eyes every time one of the guards proposed a new idea and Pam, well she was just glaring at everyone. Every few minutes she'd look at me and bare her fangs.

"Try it, Ice Queen. Those little teeth will turn to dust on me. Have at it." I smirked and she hissed. "Oh, I'm so scared!" I replied, sarcastically. This got me a smack in the back of the head by Rosalie who then just scoffed at me and sat back down.

The sissy vampires were going to have to go to their little coffins soon. Once we got to Italy we'd all be sent to a secret location so they'd be safe from the sun. Once the sun went down, though. . . We'd be in business. I really didn't have any fear for my family or Bella who'd apparently been bitten by Edward the day they were kidnapped, but these bleeders were another story. I just hoped they wouldn't get in the way.

**BPOV**

"Our meals have arrived." Aro sung as he came into the throne room clapping madly. I just raised an eyebrow at him. This was the worst part of being kidnapped and held captive by the Volturi. I knew I would eventually be a vampire, but I thought I'd be like the Cullens, only drinking from animals. I knew there was a chance that I'd slip up here or there, but never killing humans on purpose.

"Well, I'm not thirsty." I lied. Come on, I was a newborn vampire, of course I was thirsty!

"Stop lying my dear. They'll be here momentarily with Demetri and you will dine. I'm not forcing you on the women and children this time. Stop being such a Killjoy!" He snapped. I just glared at him. Was he totally serious?

"And this room is the grand Throne Room. Quite a beautiful place with tall ceilings and stained glass. . ." Demetri began selling more of the Volturi's compound and when they saw us they got a little more nervous. You would have to be a total moron not to notice his blood red eyes, but now that more of the same stood in their wake the shivering and gasping began.

"Ah, welcome! So nice to see so many of you coming at dinner time." Aro laughed. Marcus and Caius just snarled at the smells all around us. It was so incredibly difficult to contain myself. Being a newborn I didn't have the willpower I would have liked. The Cullens were something to behold with the way they lived among humans and were able to keep from killing them all. The only thing keeping me from totally obliterating every single one of them was the fact that - they were human. Apparently I still had some of my humanity left in me, which I was grateful for, but at the same time wouldn't it have been easier to have lost it with the change? Then I wouldn't be devastated every single time I killed someone.

_No, __my __humanity __is __what __makes __me __different __from __these . __. __. __These __demons_, I thought. But the burn, oh the burn! Smelling the blood in their veins set a fire in me that I couldn't contain. I was ready to explode with blood lust when Aro beckoned me over to him with a smile and a twitch of his finger.

"Please, Isabella, ladies first!" He grinned psychotically. I just glared at him, trying my hardest to hold my breath, anything to keep from diving into the throng of people before me. "Now, Isabella! Do as you're told!" He continued, losing patients with me by the second. I didn't want him to do something to Edward or Eric so, reluctantly I allowed myself to breathe again. The moment their scents hit me I lost all control of what humanity I had left and launched myself at the nearest human. He was a large, older man with a receding hairline and bad teeth. His blood was tainted somehow and I allowed myself to believe it was because he was already sick, that he was dying and that's why he had taken a trip to Italy.

I refused to ask him to satisfy my curiosity in case I was wrong, and as I sank my teeth all too easily into his neck he let out a sharp yelp. It was over in seconds. This was getting old fast. I hoped that the Cullens would get here soon if they were coming at all. I really wasn't sure how much more I was going to be able to take.

**APOV**

I was tired of sitting on the plane with these idiots and I was tired of now sitting in a little shack with these idiots and I didn't like this Nan, and I wasn't too fond of the Authority either. Of course, I had never spoken to them particularly, but their muscle were a bunch of silent jerks! If anyone was going to be able to take charge of this whole situation it would be me. I would be able to look at all the options and see if they'd work. Hello - Future Seer here! "Can I say something?" I interjected. Nan glared at me and I wanted to rip her little fangs out of her little head. So what if she was bigger than me, I'd see everything she planned to do, I'd win the fight.

"What could you possibly have to add to this situation? The Authority knows the Volturi and they've given us orders that will help us succeed. You are a tiny little insignificant nothing when it comes to what has been planned. What could you possibly share that would help?" Nan was clearly done with us, but I didn't really care what she thought.

"Your Authority may know OF the Volturi, and they may have dealt with them before, but clearly they have no power over them. If they did they wouldn't be kidnapping vampires and keeping us all in the dark about something as important as a Revelation. You bleed, immortal or not, they can easily destroy all of you. I can see the outcome of this battle before we begin. I can take your battle theories and look ahead to see if they'd even work. But, if I'm so insignificant let me just sit back and let you all go to your deaths." I shouted.

"Alice, please calm down. It's not worth getting yourself worked up. They have their plans and we can form a backup in case they all are disposed of. Jasper?" Carlisle said. I glared at my loving husband.

"I'm not in the mood for your manipulations right now, Jasper. Please leave it lie." I snapped.

"If you're such a good psychic why are we doing this in the first place? Why were your friends kidnapped before you saw it coming? What help are you when you couldn't even do that?" Nan smirked.

She hit me in the bull's-eye. That's why I was in a foul mood, the fact that I couldn't save them in the first place. I should have seen it coming, damn it! I should have known and I should have been there to stop it. I wasn't and I was furious about it, but I was going to make up for it now.

I felt myself blur in and out of reality as I watched Bella in a blood red Victorian gown - her hair falling wildly over her shoulders - running down a dark staircase. She had blood on her hands and on her mouth. Her eyes were as dark as her dress and she was snarling and growling so loudly. Suddenly you could see fire reflecting in her eyes and then it shifted. Someone had to make a choice to make the vision complete.

"Bella is stunning!" I gasped as I collapsed in the chair I had abandoned to scream at Nan.

"You've seen her?" Esme cried. "Have you seen Edward?"

"No, no I haven't. She's mad, spitting mad, and she's covered in blood. Then I saw fire, but it was reflecting in her eyes. It stopped. Someone has to make a decision before it can go on. I can't tell you if this is good or bad, but fire isn't necessarily a good thing." I winced. I hoped this wasn't how she was going to die.

"Stop your bitching. We move." Nan called and the group of us all looked at each other and left the hide out. As we all got into the rented black Suburbans it was a collective grim silence. We were going in and we weren't sure who would be coming out.

Once we got to the castle like structure we all emerged from the trucks. The guards and Nan went ahead of us with their automatic weapons, probably full of Lord knew what. Bullets weren't going to puncture their skin, but perhaps if they had grenades. . . Suddenly the idea of fire in Bella's eyes hit me again.

Jasper took a second to scoop me up and I realized my whole family had paired off. We kissed and stared in each other's eyes for a short moment promising to live through this, no matter if it was a lie or not. I couldn't imagine a life without my Jasper, but I couldn't imagine a life without Bella or Edward either. We all had to be OK.

As we entered the guards easily took out the two post men at the main entrance, ripping their heads off and burning them with their flame throwing attachments. _OK, __those __may __work_, I thought. Pam had one and she was smiling like a maniac. She scared the hell out of me, that one.

Running up the stairs our family took out two more. We would get to the Throne Room in no time at this rate. We all stopped in the shadows outside of the huge wooded double doors to the Throne Room and listened.

"Ah, now that this has been cleaned up, Isabella do you want to take your prisoners their meals?" Aro asked. Poor Bella, poor Edward! Forced to feed on humans.

"You mean I can actually do something by myself? I'm fucking shocked." She snapped. Her voice was gorgeous.

"You offend me. I trust you, my dear. Now go, before I change my mind." He replied. We heard whimpering and sobbing and dragging as she probably took the humans down to Edward, Eric and Bill.

Thinking of Bill I got another shock of a vision. "Oh no! What are we going to tell Sookie?" I whispered.

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked.

"Bill's been ended. . . By Bella." I looked into his eyes and he nodded at me. I suddenly felt calm and he smiled.

"We'll deal with it together. . . When we get home."

"Now!" Nan shouted and we rushed the room where the three terrorists sat. Aro smiling like a moron and Marcus and Caius, bored to death. "The Authority has waited and waited for your response to their inquiry to meet. They've grown tired. We're here for that little meeting."

"How sweet, unfortunately you've missed dinner." Aro smiled and stood, followed by the other two. "Ah, and you've brought some old friends."

"Aro, Marcus, Caius." Carlisle nodded to them all. They nodded back - barely.

"The Great Revelation has taken place, you should be offering your fealty to your Queen not pretending to have any power over anyone. You knew this would happen, why are you fighting it?" Nan questioned.

"Not all vampires wanted this, dear. We didn't, therefore we bow to no one." Aro snarled.

"I don't really care if you wanted it or not! Neither does the Authority. Unhand all prisoners and meet with your Queen or we end you. Simple as that." She replied looking incredibly bored. "I have many other stops to make, you're not the only ones taking this like children, believe it or not."

"_You_ end _us_? Honestly my dear, what do you think you're going to be able to do to us? Or are the Cullens here to make sure we cooperate? You realize I have your precious mind reader and his mate? Tempt me and I'll have them both turned to dust." Aro growled.

"Oh my God." Bella came out from a corner doorway and stopped dead in her tracks, a shocked expression on her face.

"Isabella, come." Aro chirped. Bella's legs seemed to work of their own volition as she stumbled over to the middle of the room.

"Oh my," She shook slightly and her hand went to her mouth. "You came."

"Of course we did, Bella. We love you!" I cried out.

"How cute is that? Now shut the fuck up before I end you, too." Nan snapped and Bella snarled at her. Everything happened so fast. Bella lunged at Nan and the storm troopers went after the Volturi. Half of us joined them, but Jasper and I went at Nan to help Bella, but there was no need. In the chaos of ripping bodies and screams Bella had Nan's throat in her mouth and her hands wrapped behind her back. Nan had a look of utter surprise on her face as Bella drained her in seconds.

When Nan began to turn to goop Bella became aware of what she had done and she dropped the melting body and shuddered. "Alice! Jasper!" She cried as she stepped to us. "No, no I have to get to them!" Shaking her head, looking torn, she finally ran.

"My vision!" I cried as Jasper and I ran to help the rest of our family. Most of the guards had been destroyed, but we were still holding our own. Alec, and a few other guards came to help their leaders. I picked myself off the ground and continued on. I was only partially able to fight because of the glimpses I was getting. _Please __Bella, __don't __fail_. . .

**BPOV**

I ran, I ran from my family and headed right back down to the dungeon. I knew Demetri would still be down there, but he always sent the guards away when he entered. I think he did things to Edward and Eric when no one was looking, but this was good for me. He'd be easy to surprise and immobilize long enough to free Edward and Eric.

Sure enough he was standing at the bars pulling Eric's arm through and pressing it roughly to the silver. Eric was trying hard not to scream out. Stupid Viking Vampire.

I slunk up behind Demetri and kept in mind not to attack like my instincts told me. They'd all be expecting it. Instead of simply grabbing at his head I climbed up his back and wrapped my legs around his neck and smashed down with my fists so hard I imploded his skull. Falling to the ground, his head shattered, I reached out and with the newborn strength I had - thank God - I ripped some of the silver bars straight out of the cell, tossing them aside and freeing my men. They scooped me up and Eric licked me clean, probably because he needed the blood, but Edward looked like he was going to rip his head clean off of his body.

"All better?" I smiled as I watched his arm heal instantly.

"All better." He smiled back.

"Edward?" I asked concerned.

"I'm fine." He assured me.

"The family is up there fighting, we need to go!"

"And where do you think you're going?" Someone asked behind us. I spun and gaped at the giant man in the stairway.

"Felix?" Edward snarled. "Leave or die."

"Isn't that adorable? And how are you going to kill me when I'm about to kill you?" He grinned and pulled a gun from behind his back. "Those bleeder vampires sure had an interesting idea with these. Want to see?" And before I could even move Eric was in front of Edward and I when Felix pulled the trigger. The fire engulfed us and Eric hit the ground rolling and screaming as Edward and I attacked Felix together, tearing him apart and burning him with the gun. I grabbed up the bedding from the cell and began beating Eric with it, putting the fire out, but so much damage had been done.

"He needs blood! I can't give him any blood!" I screamed.

"Will these do?" Emmett asked dragging four dead Authority guards down the stairs toward us. Their stupid little helmets thunked each time they hit a stair.

"It will have to for now." I replied and snatched them up and put them to Eric's mouth. He drank greedily and when he was finished he slowly began to heal.

"My hero." He choked with a smile.

"Shh, don't talk, we'll get you out of here and get you more blood as soon as we can." I smiled. Emmett threw Eric over his shoulder and we headed up the stairs. I stopped at the first step and turned to look at Demetri who was still lying limp on the dungeon floor. "No more. Ever." I whispered and I picked up the gun and pulled the trigger sending hot flames over his body, turning him to dust.


	22. And So We Are Forgiven

_A/N: Welcome to the final chapter of Cosmic Love. Thanks for sticking around and putting up with me. One final time - I OWN NOTHING. And I love my Beta (so should you) Slcurwin. I have a heartfelt author's note at the end, so I won't carry on here. Enjoy._

* * *

**BPOV**

The whole plane ride home was going to be excruciating to say the least. After apparently killing all the important Volturi vampires - how I'll never know - and coming back with not one Authority guard, I was certain SOMEONE was going to want us all dead. Not to mention Eric and Edward sat next to each other, directly in front of me, staring.

"What the fuck?" I hissed, feeling my eye twitch slightly. They'd been staring for over three hours.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Eric grinned. I wanted to scream, instead I held it in, puffing my cheeks out like a chipmunk and finally letting it loose in a woosh.

"Why are you staring?" I countered.

"You first, deary." He grinned further.

"And why the hell are you so quiet?" I snapped at Edward, who's eyes widened and he slouched a little.

"It's been a long few days, that's all." He sighed.

"No way, really? I thought it was a goddamn vacation." I growled.

"Bella, that's not nice." Alice piped up. I glared so hard at her I expected her head to explode.

"Alice, you want to know what isn't nice? Being forced into a dress someone's MOTHER probably wore in her GRAVE for days. Having to kill innocent people - especially children. Being flirted shamelessly with by Aro. Having to hope to whatever GOD is up there that both of these guys weren't already ended. Also, not having the slightest hope any of you would have showed up. Oh yeah, and one other thing. Who the hell is going to tell Sookie I killed her boyfriend? I mean, I don't know about you, but I really like Sookie, and I'm pretty sure she's not going to be so forgiving about this." I raged.

"Casualties were expected, she knew that. Besides, she barely spoke about him during the meeting at her house the night before we left." Pam sighed. "Quit being such a drama queen! I'd have your head already if it weren't you who decided to end Nan the Psycho Bitch."

"Casualties? I got pissed and chucked a silver bar at him and impaled him. That's not a casualty of war!" I pointed out.

"Oh, that's rich! Please, tell it to me again, I want the visual. Master, were you there? Did it really look like I think it looked? Remember _The_ O_men_?" Pam was laughing so hard blood began to pool at her eyes.

"As a matter of fact, Pam, it did." Eric smirked.

"I hate all of you." I grumbled. It was going to be hours before I could see Sookie and try to explain what happened to Bill. I wasn't really 100% sure that she wasn't over him already, but to kill him was a bit much. She became family to me and now I'd have to hurt her. I was hurting everyone the more I thought about it. Here I was totally cranky no matter what happened since I came to at the bottom of that cliff. No one could really make me happy. I was turning into a god damn shrew. I was going to have to lay the ground work if I was ever going to go back to Bella and it might as well start on this god forsaken flight.

"Pam, Eric, I'm sorry. You've done nothing but help me and keep me safe. I shouldn't be snapping at either of you. I'm oddly tired and cranky and I'm taking it all out on everyone. Sorry, you two. Can you forgive me?" I asked, if I could have blushed I would already be there and I was only two people in.

"Whatever, bitch." Pam rolled her eyes. I've come to the realization that this is the best I'd ever get as 'apology accepted'.

"Bella, I completely understand the stress you've been under. All is forgiven." Eric grinned and I wanted to groan. I believed him, but somehow I thought it was partially show for the Cullen Clan.

"And you guys, thanks for coming to save me. Us. I hate that I still feel like I doubt you and I hope I get over it super quick, but I hope in the meantime you understand. Maybe we can all talk more about it later if you still want to, of course." I looked at the Cullens and they all smiled at me. Except Rose, but that wasn't all that surprising. I think she would hate me no matter what I did. This at least made me feel a little better. There was slight normalcy there.

"Oh, Bella, we could never be angry with you for long. And, no one hates you here. We'll discuss it when we land." Alice grinned. Everyone - but Rose - nodded in agreement. One more to go, could I actually do it? I stole a glance at Edward, who was looking down at his hands and I frowned. Did I want forgiveness? If I asked for it, if we worked on things would we get back together? Did I want that?

Damn it all to Hell. . .

"Edward, I'm so sorry for being so nasty to you lately. Forgive me. I suppose sometimes it's good to be selfish, but when it's hurting the one man I've ever truly cared for. . .and my first in so many ways. . .I'm so sorry." I said, trying to get his eyes to look into mine. He was trying so hard to fight it and I was trying so hard to beat it. Finally, his eyes that I had been so in love with, so transfixed with, the golden orbs that haunted me when I couldn't even remember my name. . .the things holding me in place were gone. I gasped and felt my body shudder. "Edward?"

"You know I'll always forgive you, because I love you Bella. You're my mate whether you want to admit it or not, we're connected no matter what. No matter what you say or do. I love you." His eyes were pleading with me but they were crimson red, probably like mine. He hadn't hunted humans in decades and here I come into his life and cause him to fail again. But he loved me, was he insane?

"Look at what I've done to all of you. Look at what you're all going through, what you all went through, because of me! Pam could have lost her maker, Sookie lost her lover, you all could have been seriously hurt or killed and Edward. . . Your eyes. . ." I was losing all the wind out of my sails. "I'm not good for any of you! I'm like a disease, a curse, I should be quarantined." I cried. "I probably shouldn't even go near Sookie when I get back. She'll be next, I'll hurt her just like I've hurt all of you."

"Bill reincarnate." Pam scoffed. "Shit happens, Sookie is well aware of that. Vampires aren't cute and cuddly, we kill for sport let alone just because someone's pissed us off. She knew what kind of lifestyle she was entering when she got close to Bill. Well, when she met Eric really. Bill has always been the King of the Understatement as long as we've known him. Sookie loves you like you're one of her own. Don't underestimate her. And as far as these sparkle fairies go, fuck them if they can't understand that you might have gone through a terrible ordeal. Even I have to commend you for what you went through."

Both Eric and I sort of gawked at Pam, I was catching flies and he was grinning wickedly. "Beware, Bella, Pam may want to see what is under that dress. She's never been that preachy with anyone before."

"Bella is a delectable specimen, but you know I like red-heads." She winked. I giggled.

"I know what it's like not to know who you are. I'd never say Bella didn't go through something horrible. But, she has got to stop assuming we don't care just because we're 'pretty vampires' or we're going to get tired of it." Alice whined.

"Shut up pixie. She's one of us now, even if she is cursed to be a sparkle fairy for the rest of time." Pam waved her off and moved to come sit with me for the rest of the flight.

*CL*

When we arrived in Shreveport Pam already had Eric's car available and the Cullens went to rent a car, when we shuffled off of the private plane we looked around a bit. That's when I saw it. The giant sign covering part of a terminal boasting the newest way to fly. _Anibus. For vampires_. I nearly fell down.

"Did we miss it?" Pam asked anyone, as if we would have had a clue otherwise. "I missed it! I've been waiting and waiting for this moment and I'll have to find it on fucking You Tube!"

"What is this?" Carlisle's eyes were bugging out. I'd never seen so much emotion out of him at one time, ever.

"The Great Revelation happened while we were in that Hell hole!" I shouted. "Another reason for Pam and Eric to want nothing to do with me. I can't believe I've ruined so much for them in such a short period of time."

"Stop being so dramatic, Bella. You do realize, everything isn't always about you." Rosalie huffed. I growled at her.

"It is alright, Lover. This would have been something to see, but the joys come from no longer having to hide. We can now enjoy the World, without hiding, this I am grateful for. Pam, stop stomping and get over here. Once we are settled we must make Fangtasia what it was meant to be." Eric stated.

"Yes, Master." Pam grumbled.

"Bella, are you coming with us back to the hotel?" Alice asked, placing a tiny hand on my shoulder.

"You can't see that I'm not?" I whispered.

"I was hoping it would change." She sighed.

"I have to see Sookie, right away." I hung my head. "It can't wait, I have to tell her Bill is dead." I looked toward Pam and Eric and Eric went rigid for half a second, if that and then frowned. "What is it?"

"My Maker calls. We must go to Bon Temps immediately. Come, I'll drive you."

"What about me?" Pam scoffed.

"Rent a car, buy one, steal one, walk. You are not a child." Eric hissed. You didn't need to be a Rocket Scientist to know that Eric was on edge and if someone so much as looked at him funny at this point they'd probably be headless. She bowed and was gone. I was about to walk over to him when I turned to look at the Cullens, Edward in particular.

"If you want, please come by tonight. In a couple hours, you know, so I can settle things with Sookie. I'm either staying there, or, if she hates me too much I'll need a ride." I sniffed, a human response I hadn't kicked yet.

"Of course, anything you need, Love." Edward was before me instantly. His red. . .

"Oh, Edward, your eyes!" I cried.

"Not so different from yours I'm sure." He smiled that crooked smile I loved so much. "I'll be there, no matter what. I love you, Bella." He gingerly touched the heart shaped diamond hanging around my neck and sighed. I reached up and took his hand, our eyes met and I smiled. I couldn't tell him yet how I felt because even I didn't know, but I knew I loved him. That would never change no matter where my new life took me.

"Call Charlie, tell him I'm alright. I'll call him tomorrow." I frowned.

"As you wish." And with a kiss to my forehead - not much different from when he left me in the woods - he and his family walked away.

The drive to Sookie's was silent but not awkward. I think Eric and I both had so much to think about that we didn't have enough time or energy to speak to one another, too. Not to mention I had to change. For some bizarre reason Eric had a pair of short shorts and a Fangtasia baby T in the trunk. I shimmied, quite difficultly, out of the dress and put the clothes on. Eric put the top down and I chucked the dress out into the night.

Pulling into her drive, we got out of the car and walked up to the door. I knocked. Before I was taken by the Volturi I didn't feel as if this was anything less than my home. Now I didn't know for sure. The door swung open and a frazzled Sookie stood before us. She was wearing pink plaid cotton pants and a tank top, bunny slippers and all. "Oh, God! Bella!" She scooped me up into a hug and froze. "Crap."

"She won't bite. She's incredibly good for a newborn. I would have stopped your advance if I felt otherwise." Eric assured her and she tightened her grip and then let me go. Shuddering slightly, involuntarily, at my appearance.

"My eyes are red. That will go away, though, since I don't plan on hunting humans." I shrugged.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have stared." Sookie blushed.

"No worries, anyway, can we come in?" I grinned. She popped herself in the forehead like the V8 commercial and laughed.

"Won't you please come on in. Where are my manners?" She led us into the kitchen where Godric was. He was still a sight to behold, even after seeing him before.

"Master." Eric bowed, Godric returned it and they smiled warmly at each other.

"Sookie, how about the guys catch up and you and I go talk somewhere private?" I fiddled with my bottom lip and her smile turned into a much more serious look. She nodded and led me to the bedroom she'd let me use. "This room is so beautiful. Like it was stuck in time, you know, when a girl is still innocent and naïve." I was kind of rambling now.

"What's going on, Bella?" Sookie asked, sitting next to me on the bed.

_Band-aid or long version_, I questioned myself. I steadied myself and sighed. "Bill." I choked after that. It was like a giant rock got lodged in my throat.

"Bill what? Why isn't he here with you two?" She asked, concern laced her features and I wanted to run. Or maybe throw myself on her stove - all burners to high gear.

"Bill's dead, Sookie. Dead dead." I croaked. Sookie just stared at me, eyes passive, face stoic. Was she going to crack? "Come on, Sookie, say something. Do something. Anything!"

"H-how did this happen?" She whispered so low that if I were still human I would have probably missed it.

"That's. . .my fault." I groaned. Sookie's eyes shot to mine and she looked absolutely shocked. "See, the four of us were held in a cell in the dungeon of the Volturi's strong hold and I had just completed the change. I was thirsty, and cranky, and Edward and Eric were doing the whole 'I have better lines than you do' thing so I ripped a silver bar out of the floor intending on throwing it at Eric, but Eric moved and I didn't realize Bill was behind him not paying attention. It. . .well, you get the picture. Sookie, I am SO sorry. I never meant for that to happen. You know, people were talking about casualties of war and whatever, but I couldn't stoop that low. I couldn't LIE to you about what happened to Bill. And since it isn't right to talk negatively about the dead - you taught me that - I will leave it there. No matter HOW Bill acted throughout the whole situation he didn't deserve to die. . .die." I winced.

"You impaled him. . ." Sookie stated. It could have been a question, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. Either way I nodded.

"I am so, so sorry." I sobbed.

"You keep saying that. Look, Bella, Bill wasn't the nicest guy to you or Eric or Edward. As a matter of fact he seemed to be your enemy. How am I supposed to believe that you three didn't do this on purpose?" She snapped. I wanted to scream at her, how dare she think I'd be capable of this? But, then again I was a vampire and I had no idea what Eric may or may not have done before I stumbled (scratch that, FELL) into Bon Temps. And Bill was a total douche bag, so maybe Sookie only knew bad things about vampires. Maybe the good she found in the three of them - Eric, Pam and Bill - was finally refreshing. Maybe I ruined it all.

"I guess I deserve that. I'll grab my things, Edward will pay you back for all I've had here while you've taken care of me. I'll just go." I slid off the bed and walked out. Nothing in that room was mine, it had all been purchased for me. The clothes that I was found in had been thrown out long ago.

I headed into the kitchen where Eric and Godric were. They were completely silent and I had a feeling they'd heard everything. "Godric, it was a pleasure to meet you. Eric, thanks for everything. And I do mean everything. I hope to see you again." I hopped up on my tip-toes and hugged him tight, kissing his cheek. He had to bend down for me to do this, and I was grateful, knowing that he knew this was good bye. I wished in a way that he would try to stop me, but I think he knew I'd be lonely here if the Cullen's went back to Forks. Besides himself and maybe Pam I had no one else at this point. Sookie would never forgive me.

"You're a much bigger. . . person. . . than I could ever be." Eric smiled, I frowned in confusion. "Telling the whole truth." I just nodded, smiled painfully and headed out the front door. I told the Cullens to meet me here, but it had barely been an hour since we arrived. Maybe I'd go out for a quick hunt.

As I turned toward the wooded area behind Sookie's home ready to run, the door flew open with a bang. "Bella, wait!" Sookie shouted and I felt everything drain out of me, I had no fight left in me. Turning to face her I watched as she ran over to me and wrapped me up in a big hug. "Don't go. You're like the little sister I never had. I don't really know how to feel right now, I'm in shock and I'm really upset, but I know that I don't want you to leave. I don't know what I'd do without you anymore." Sookie cried.

"Eventually I have to contact my family, you know, now that being a vampire is OK. I'll have to leave you know, I'll have to see them." I smiled. "But, I'll do whatever I can to make this whole thing up to you. . ."

"As long as you call this house home you can go anywhere for as long as you need to, just remember you'll always be welcome." She sniffled and I could feel hot tears soak through my shirt.

"Sorry, I just saw it going terribly wrong so we came right over." I looked up over Sookie's shoulder and Edward and Alice were standing there. Edward had his hands in his pockets and Alice was rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Everything's fine now." I smiled.

"I called your dad. He won't wait for you to get there to visit, let alone call him tomorrow. He's on the first flight out to Shreveport. He'll probably be here in a few hours. He's worried about his daughter being all by herself now that vampires are roaming around. As if we haven't always been roaming around. . ." Alice went on.

"Great. Hope they have an outstanding hospital in the area because he's going to have a god-damn heart attack." I huffed as Sookie let me go and I looked more fully at the new arrivals.

"Vampire blood can fix that." Sookie offered. This seemed so bizarre to me. Before literally falling upon this place I never would have thought of vampire blood, let alone that it could cure certain human injuries. And the fact that she was all matter-of-fact about it, well, it made me smile.

"Unless he's unconscious and unaware of the shit happening there's no way he'd drink vampire blood!" I laughed.

"Just a thought." She grinned.

*CL*

Eric and his Maker went back to wherever to prepare for dawn and Sookie was sound asleep in her bed now that everything calmed down. I was really happy she didn't hate me, but I didn't get too excited. Now that she was effectively sleeping on it she may change her mind. I shuddered. _Please, please, PLEASE don't change your mind_, I thought desperately.

"What's going on in there, Bella?" Edward asked, the first natural sounding thing he's said to me in a long time. I smiled at him because I was grateful for that.

"Edward, I love you. I love all of you, but when Sookie brought me into her home all banged up and broken - and let me tell you, the only think holding me together was probably my skin - she didn't ask tons of questions. She bathed me, with Eric's help, and only wanted to know my name. When I couldn't remember she gave me one. To me, not the room or the food and liquids, not the job opportunity, or the safety. . .the name was the most precious gift she's given me. And she didn't know me from Adam. Guys, Sookie is something super special to me and I can't leave her. I don't think I could let any of you go either, but that's a choice you all have to make. I like Eric, frankly I lust Eric, but Edward. . ." At this point in my monolog I turn to him and cup his face in my hands. "You'll have a lot to explain to me and we'll have a lot to discuss, but I love you. I'm in love with you, and I hope your offer still stands about marriage, because I don't ever want us to be apart again. But, that would mean you'd have to stay here. Because I cannot leave. Not unless she tells me to go."

"Bella, I. . ." A knock on the door interrupted whatever he was going to say and Alice, who was silent and tearlessly crying sniffled when she went to the door.

"I picked this guy up at the airport. Anyone know who he is?" I heard Emmett's voice, smile and all, and I knew exactly who he was talking about. I rushed to the door, but stayed behind Alice, not wanting to scare the ever living out of my father at seven in the morning when the roosters were crowing and the vampires who could save him were dead.

"Bells?" His gruff voice was so full of emotion it broke my dead heart. "You're one of them." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

I wanted to tell him that I chose this life well before I even knew about a 'Revelation'. I chose it because I knew Edward and I were going to be together forever, and I wanted to really be together forever. But all I got out was, "Can you still love me, Dad?" For some reason this whole ordeal made me all emotional and shit.

"I'll always love you, Bells." And before I knew it - first time in the history of forever - he moved passed Alice and gave me a big ol' fatherly hug. It felt amazing. Charlie and I never really showed any emotion toward each other, but on those odd occasions that we did, it meant the world to both of us I think.

"Come on in, I'll make coffee and breakfast." I smiled. For a change Sookie woke up to bacon, eggs, toast and coffee. She and my father got along real well and the subject of work came up. Sookie informed Charlie that Bud Dearborn was retiring and no one in Bon Temps really wanted Andy Bellfleur to take over the job permanently. When I explained to dad I wasn't going home he asked to use Sookie's computer and made up a résumé, something he probably hadn't had to do in eons.

It seemed that the Cullens were no longer wanted in Forks, getting word that their house had been set on fire, including Edward's piano, and they had no place to live. Except here in Bon Temps, or Shreveport where the nicer homes were located.

Everything was meant to be, in my mind. What will happen will happen. Meeting the Cullens, getting kidnapped by the Volturi, falling off of another cliff, forgetting who I was and becoming a stronger and more independent Bella, meeting so many wonderful people along the way. . . All of this was meant to be. And I was glad.

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_A/N: There will be one final 'chapter' FF wise, but it's an epilogue. I'll post that momentarily. Stay tuned for a sappy, kinda long, AN at the end of that. Please, R&R and let me know what you think. Thanks, as always!_


	23. An Epilogue  The End

**6 Months Later**

I was looking out on my grand stage. I would be married tonight to my mate, Edward. It was a long six months after we got back from our ordeal with a ton of talking and explaining and apologizing between me and every one of the Cullens. Rosalie and I would never be best friends, but we were finally on speaking terms. Alice forgave me instantly and so did the rest of them. Jasper was just happy to not have to fend off all the depression any longer.

Edward and I spent a lot of time just being. We'd talk, make love, and talk some more. We finally moved passed his leaving me and I could honestly forgive him. I held no grudges any longer. He did what he thought was best. After all the thoughts I had of leaving Bon Temps to protect my new friends I could understand where he was coming from back then. It's a huge beast of a burden to feel that not only being a monster, but a killer, you can still have healthy and happy relationships with everyone around you. And as both Rose and Pam pointed out on many occasions: The world did not revolve around me. It wasn't always about me. And that was so very true.

When Renee found out about what I was she wasn't too pleased. Vampires scared the shit out of her, which made me laugh. Some of them would want nothing more than to sink their teeth into her, but most of them weren't interested. When the shock finally wore off and she knew I really wasn't a different person she promised to be at my nuptials.

Gah! A wedding! Eric wasn't totally thrilled at first, but soothing Sookie's pain turned into something more than I think either of them expected. Now happily in lurve as I put it to them, they'll be a package deal at this shin-dig.

Sookie's yard was decked to the hilt for my wedding to Edward. All my new and old friends and family were there. It was just after dusk and all the twinkling lights were so beautiful and ethereal across the land. Here and there an extra blip of light would pass by and I'd smile. I loved fireflies. They were one of my new favorite things.

My father was the Sheriff of Bon Temps parish and he was seeing a woman named Halleigh Robinson. She was really pretty with short brown hair and brown eyes. She was an elementary school teacher and Andy's ex. After my dad took 'his job' and 'his girl' I was worried he'd need to be on suicide watch, but he only just got more and more drunk as the days went on. He'd eventually drown himself in liquor or die of renal disease, but he was too damn stubborn to go out on his own.

Alice was twirling around the place like a little pixie on fairy dust. . .or was that angel dust? Anyway, my mom flew in and she and Rose were doing my hair. Phil was crushing over Pam who was laughing in his face, and Sookie was acting like a proud mama, gushing over everything that was going on.

The nuptials were going to be short and sweet, given by a local pastor turned vampire (a couple centuries ago). Then there would be dancing, food, Tru Blood, and more dancing.

Edward and I had decided when we got back and back together we'd buy out Compton's place, demo it and build our own Southern plantation home. It was stunning. Straight out of the late 1800's. At least the furnishings. Not like the old place, ready to fall over with a strong wind.

It was nearly time, I was getting a bit nervous. Pam, with her perfect timing, burst into Sookie's room where I was dressed and being attacked with makeup and hair supplies. "You realize, your whole vampy family must swear fealty to Eric? I say come on down to Fangtasia after your honeymoon, we'll put you all on display and make tons more money. Apparently sparkle fairies are 'rare' and everyone's dying to see you! Now, buck it up, marry him, and go fuck him until the end of time. There's a date out there with my name on it, I'll let you know when I find it." And she was gone.

"Well, that definitely took my mind off of the wedding!" I laughed. Alice burst in with my father and looked at me all serious and scary like.

"It's time." She said and I shuddered.

"Jesus, Alice! You make it seem like I'm going to an execution." I frowned.

"Shush! Come on, let's go! Edward's a mess down there waiting for you!" And with that we were off.

Sookie was my maid of honor, followed by Alice and Rose. Pam was not about to wear a dress that she couldn't pick out so those three were it. Edward had Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle, Carlisle being the best man.

I walk down the front steps and down this crazy long white carpet. There are chairs lined up, white with shiny silver and lavender fabric. A canopy of moss has been erected with white trestles and there's music coming from somewhere. I wonder if it's a local band playing a sweet little country song I've never heard.

A lot of people talk about their wedding like it was totally the most magical thing that had ever happened to them, ever. I've seen magic, I've seen how one minute you can be alive and the next living dead. I've seen a lost girl with no recollection of who she was become a part of something bigger than herself without any questions asked, accepted when she remembers. I've seen the fall of something I never imagined would stop existing, and I've seen the world change and accept their darkest nightmares as 'people, too'. And I had all eternity to witness more magic.

Today though, today wasn't magical or spiritual or out of this world, it just was. It was an ending and a beginning, just like life and death in any form. I'd been there, done that, too.

I was taken from my inner musings when I finally looked up at the little alter where Edward was. All of the good and all of the bad had finally fallen into place and what would happen now would be right. Edward was stunning, as usual, in a black tux with a red vest. His hair as messy as ever. His red eyes had lightened nearly back to normal, they were this pretty copper color, same as mine. The smile on his face was something like serene. I'm sure mine matched.

My dress was made for me. It was ivory lace, with a small train, beading around the empire waist and had little crystals on sheer capped sleeves. My hair was up in a huge mess of knots, robin's egg blue feathers haphazardly placed. I wore the necklace Edward gave me and ballet flats, they were gold. The borrowed was Sookie's mother's garter. I promised to return it after the vows and use a new one for the stupid garter toss later. I had a veil that matched my cap sleeves pinned under my hair.

As I walked down the aisle I couldn't help but notice most of Bon Temps was there with smiles, most genuine. The Cullen's friends from Alaska were also in attendance. I had a feeling Pam may be interested in one, or all three of the girls.

Everything stopped, even my inner rambling when my father, who had walked me down the aisle in a tux and his chucks, handed me over to Edward with a nod and a look in his eye that promised certain death if he hurt me. Edward chuckled, probably hearing such things and nodded back with a smile.

We had our own vows, but used the traditional ones as well. Once pronounced husband and wife Edward dipped me slightly for a kiss. Chaste as it was, I could feel all of the love he ever had for me pour into that moment. My guard was down, he knocked me senseless and all I could think was how I loved that man, so deeply, so truly, and so unconditionally.

The kiss ended abruptly as he stared into my eyes, a look of shock on his face. "I heard you. . ." I smiled and crashed my lips to his, as if no one - especially my parents - were around.

Everyone ate, or drank, or both and danced the night away. I had several partners - male and female - and would have partied all into the night if it wasn't for the whole dawn thing. Eric was my last dance partner of the evening, probably planning it that way.

"Enjoy married life, and your honeymoon, but come back to us Bella. In my thousand years there have been only a few rare moments that will be etched into my mind for the rest of time that make me want to look back and smile. Meeting you, going through everything with you, and ending it with this dance will be one of them. I am proud to have found you that night, and I am glad to call you a friend." He kissed my forehead and smiled. I wanted to cry, I wanted to latch onto him and thank him again for everything he's done, but he wouldn't want that, he'd want it to end just like this.

"Bella, are you ready?" Edward asked from behind us. I took one more long look at Eric Northman, the man who - had he truly wanted to - could have taken me away from everything, even Edward, and smiled. Because he didn't.

"Yes, I'm ready." I nodded and with a kiss to Eric's cheek I turned and took Edwards hand. He led me to a limo with no other specifications as to where we were going.

As long as I was with him, it didn't matter. As long as I came home, back to Bon Temps, where my life truly began, it didn't matter.

_**The End**_

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_A/N: First of all, thank you all so much for putting up with my crazy long hiatuses between chapters. I know I'm a loser like that. I also want to thank everyone who voted for me in the WIP awards for most promising work in progress cross over. I may have made 3rd out of 4th, but I'm just uber grateful to have even been acknowledged._

_This is the first story I have actually ever finished and it feels amazing. It was such a difficult journey putting these two worlds together, but I think - in the end - it was the best place for them all to be. Together._

_I have two other stories up, you may know them. Life After Death and May Eve. LAD is a SVM/True Blood story and May Eve is a Labyrinth story. Check them out if you'd like._

_I'm also about to start on a new Twilight tale. It's going to be stupid funny and fluffy. It will definitely be a HEA, and sort of an obvious tale. If you like the show_The Nanny_ you'll love this. I swears!_

_Thanks again to the most magnificent Beta in the history of the world: Slcurwin. She's made this whole thing possible. Without her this story would have stopped out of frustration a looooooooong time ago. Give her a lot of love._

_And, one final time, please read and review. Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear what you think of the ending. Also, let me know if you'd like an out take from the honeymoon. I realize there's what, ONE lemon in this whole fic? If you're interested PM me and depending on the response I'll post one. :)_

_OH, and if you go tohttp:/www*fanfiction*net/u/2150031/The_Worst_Story_Ever_Contest you'll see mine and many other great terrible fics. PLEASE, no eating or drinking while reading. I cannot tell you which is mine, as it is anonymous, but they are all very good! Check them out!_

_That is all, thanks again for being so awesome, you guys! It means so much._

_Love,_

_Joie Cullen_


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